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Bloomfield     g.   TVloore 

TVlemorial  fund. 


rJSr-l-?-T^T=-Sr 


LEHTHER  MllNUFICTURE, 

o 

(X  Crcatise 

ON   THE 

Prbctiml  Workings  of  the  Leather  Msnufbcture 

INCLUDING 

OIL  SHOE   GRAIN,  IMITATION   GOAT   AND   CALF,  BRIGHT  OIL,  ENGLISH 
AND  AMERICAN  BOOT  GRAIN,  HAND  AND  MACHINE  SEWED  WELT, 
GLOVE   GRAIN,  FLESH   SPLITS,  HARNESS   LEATHER,  THE  SUL- 
^  PHIDE  OF  SODIUM  PROCESS,  OAK  AND  HEMLOCK  BARK 

EXTRACTS,    CONSTRUCTION   OF    TANNERIES,      . 


TOGETHER  WITH    NUMEROUS  VALUABLE   RECIPES  AND  MISCELLANEOUS 
MATTER  SPECIALLY  ADAPTED  TO  THE  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


By   JOHN    WT.    STEVBNS, 

Author  of  "Mistakes  of  Tanners,''  Etc. 


CONTAINING  ILLUSTRATIONS   OF  MACHINERY  AND  MOST  APPROVED  AP- 
PLIANCES  ADAPTED   FOR  THE   CLASS  OF  WORK. 


PUBLISHED   BY 


THE  SHOE  AND  LEATHER  REVIEW, 

182  Monroe  St.,  Chicago,  III. 

1890. 


Knteted,  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1889,  by  The  Review  Printing  ant 
PUBUSBC^G  Co.,  in  the  ofi&ce  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


UBRARY 


Dc&ication. 

To  My  Grandson,  John  Warren  Stsvens. 


I  dedicate  to  you,  this  volume  of  a  work  now  submitted  to  the 

tanning    fraternity,    with   a    diffidence   and    hesitation 

proportioned  to  the  multiplicity  of  details  and 

the  practical  workings  connected  with 

the  I,eather    Manufacture. 


Your  grandfather,  great-grandfather  and  uncles  devoted  a  good 
portion  of  their  lives  to  the  now  second  largest  manufactur- 
ing industry  in  this  country.     I  trust  that  you,  in  your 
future  walks,  will  not  feel  compelled  to  emulate  the 
calling  of  your  humble   predecessors  ;  but,  in 
whatever  position  your   inclinations  lead,  to 
give  it  your  undivided  attention,   and 
fill  the  same  with  credit  to  your- 
self and  honor  to  the  name. 


PREFACE. 

The  aim  of  the  following  hand-book  is  to  present  to  the  tan- 
ning fraternity,  and  to  those  who  may  hereafter  engage  in  it,  a  full 
and  complete  sketch  of  the  art  of  making  several  of  the  most  pop- 
ular and  standard  lines  of  fine  shoe  leather.  It  also  contains  a 
treatise  on  the  sulphide  of  sodium  process,  oak  and  hemlock  bark 
extracts,  and  the  construction  of  tanneries. 

The  writer  has  refrained  from  following  the  usual  custom  of 
combining  theory  with  practice,  or  in  going  into  an  extended 
treatise  on  the  chemical  properties  of  water  employed  in  tanning, 
or  the  anatomy  and  chemical  analysis  of  the  hide  structure. 
Science  and  chemistry  are  not  to  be  ignored,  however,  by  tanners 
endeavoring  to  produce  good,  serviceable  leather  at  a  lessened  cost 
in  the  production.  And,  as  they  are  now  receiving  more  light 
through  those  channels  than  formerly,  and  also  directly  through 
Practical  chemistry,  it  would  appear  rather  egotistical  for  "an  old 
Bnner"  to  treat  of  arts  and  sciences  with  which  he  is  not  practi- 
pBlly  familiar.  Besides,  it  would  tend  to  weary  older  tanners  and 
cbler  students  in  technical  literature. 

The  writer  has,  therefore,  confined  himself  to  the  practical 
workings  of  leather  manufacture,  giving,  in  fact,  his  own  personal 
experience  in  the  making  of  several  styles.  It  has  been  his  special 
aim  to  use  the  plainest  and  simplest  language,  so  that  he  who  runs 
may  read,  and  he  who  reads  and  follows  the  instructions  given 
may  profit  thereby,  whether  he  be  an  amateur  or  a  professional 
tanner. 


C^\0 


i 


CONTENTS. 

Paob. 

Introduction iii 

CHAPTER  I. 
Manufacture  of  Oil  Shoe  Grains. 
Class  of  Hides  Most  Desirable — Yield  of  Leather  and  Splits  From  Ex- 
treme Light  Hides — Heavy  Cows — Soaking  and  Liming — Dimensions 

of  Tann'^ry  Pits i 

Uniform  Weights  of  Hides  Per  Pack — Trimming  the  Hides — Glue  Stock 
— Washing  Hides  in  the  Wheel — Water  Supply — Splitting  the  Hides 

and  Soaking  in  Cold  Water 2 

Tanner's  Hide  Trim 3 

Fleshing  the  Hides — Removing  the  Nerves — Wash  Wheel 4 

Lime  Reel — Liming 5 

Reeling  the  Hides  From  One  Pit  to  Another — Amount  of  Lime  Re- 
quired— Key  to  Pin  the  Hides  Together — Float  Attachment  to  First 
and  Last  Hide  Going  Into  the  Limes — Changing  the  Hides  in  the 
Limes  Daily — High  and  Low  Liming — Capacity  of  Lime  Pits — Fre- 
quent Cleaning  Out  of  the  Lime  Pits 6 

Accumulation  of  Blood  and  Ammonia  in  the  Limes — Slacking  the  Lime 
— "Dead  and  Live"  Lime  Pits — Openings  in  Top  Center  of  Lime  Pits 
For  An  Equal  Distribution  of  the  Liquor — Strengthening  the  Limes — 
Removing  the  Keys  and  Throwing  the  Hides  Into  a  Hot  Water  Bath — 
Temperature  of  Bath — Unhairing — Removing  the  Lime  and  Epidermis 

— Washing  in  the  Wheel .        7 

Bating — Condition  of  Hides  and  Water — Amount  of  Chicken  Manure 
Used  for  One  Hundred  Hides — Difference  in  the  Quality  of  Manures 
Used — Lime  and  Tannic  Acid — The  Bate   Wheel — Temperature  of  the 

Bate— How  to  Test  the  Condition  of  Hides  When  Bated 8 

"Bate  Paicks" — To  Prevent  Putrefaction — Working  out  the  Bate,  or  Fine 
Hairing — How  Done — Condition  of  the  Knife — Hot  and  Cold  Limes — 
Bate  Wheels 9 

CHAPTER  II. 
Coloring  or  Setting  the  Grain. 

Coloring  Wheels,  Similar  in  Construction  to  the  Bate  Wheels — The  Eng- 
land Wheel,  how  Made  and  Number  of  Revolutions — Density  of  Liquor 
in  the  First  Stages 10 

First  Impressions — Time  Necessary  to  Color  the  Pack — Suspending  the 
Hides  on  Sticks — Dimensions  of  Sticks — Brass  Screws  for  Connecting 
the  Hides  to  Sticks — How  Done 11 

Arrangement  of  Pits — Daily  Changeof  the  Packs — Increasing  the  Strength 
of  Liquors  as  Changes  Occur 12 

Over-feeding  and  Starving — "  Black  Rot" — Temperature  of  Liquors,  and 
Density — Ripening  Up  Process — Gallic  and  Tannic  Acid 13 

The  Long  and  Short  Time  Process — The  Relief  Corps — Time  Required  in 
Carrying  the  Hides  through  the  Beam-house  and  Tannery — Spready 
Cows,  Steers  and  Bulls 14 

Hides  Most  Desirable— The  Barb  Wire  Fence — The  Change  of  Packs  .    .      15 

Agitating  the  Liquors  Frequently — Ample  Space  for  the  Hides  to  Feed — 
Taking  out  Packs  for  Sammieing — Steam  Force  Pump  with  Hose  At- 
tachment for  Washing  the  Leather,  Sticks  and  Pits — Running  over  the 
I/iquors 16 


CONTENTS. 


Preparation  of  Bark  and  Amount  Required — Bark  Crushing  Mill — Re- 
tanning  the  Splits 17 

Grinding  and  I^eaching  the  Bark — Bark  Shaving  Mill— The  Bark  Con- 


veyer 


18 


Conveying  the  Bark  from  Mills  to  Leaches,  and  the  Spent  Bark  to  Boiler 
Room — The  Press  System  of  Leaching  Bark — Pure  Liquors  and  Mod- 
erate Heat  Required — Comparisons  Between  a  High  and  Low  Temper- 
ature in  Extracting  the  Tannic  Acid  from  the  Bark — Exhaust  Steam 
Box — The  Last  Run  ou  Old  Leaches 19 

CHAPTER  III. 
Preparing  for  Skiving. 

Sammieing  and  Dampening  the  Leather — Trimming  and  Scarring  Grain 
Imperfections — Oiling  the  Grain — Wheeling  in  Drum-Wheel — Skiving 
by  Hand  and  Machine 20 

Belt  Knife  Machine  and  Capacity  of  Same 21 

Union  Splitting  Machine  and  Friction-Gear  Attachment — Splitting  the 
Leather 22 

Shaving — Re-tanning  in  Drum-Wheel  with  Gambier  and  Sumac — The 
Amounts  Required  for  a  Given  Number  of  Sides — Cost  of  Same — Scour- 
ing and  Oiling 23 

"Sammieing,"  or  Hardening — Dampening — The  Condition  of  the  Leather 
for  StufiBng — How  to  make  a  Suitable  Test — Ripening  the  Leather  for 
Stuffing 24 

The  Stuffing  Wheel — When  First  Introduced — How  Built  and  Diameter 
of  Wheel 25 

Amount  and  Nature  of  the  Greases  Used — Temperature  of  Grease  and 
Wheel — Brown  Grease,  How  Made — English  Degras 27 

Liquor  Pumps — Adulteration  in  Oils 28 

Stuffing  by  Wheel — Time  Required — The  Percentage  of  Greases  Employed 
— Cooling  Off  the  Leather — Setting^ — Giving  Character  to  the  Sides  .  29 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Si,iCKiNG  Off  and  Buffing. 
Buffing  Off  the  Grain — Object  and  Advantages  Derived — Plain   Square 

Liquor  Pipes 30 

The  Origin   of  Oil  Shoe   Grain   and  Its  Great  Popularity — Barb  Wire 

Scratches — Buffing  or  Snuffing — Unsight  and  Unseen 31 

Tanners  should  Demand  Redress  for  the  Damage  by  Barb  Wire  Fences — 

Blacking  and  Finishing — Preparing  the  Logwood — Amount  of  Logwood 

and  Sal-soda 32 

Blacking  the  Leather  and  Preparing  it  for  Pebbling — The  Pebbling  Jack.      33 
Pebbling — The  Figure  of  Roller  and  Uniformity  Required — The  Staking 

and  Perching  Machine 34 

Graining  with  Cork-Board — Number  of  Angles  on  Grain  and  Flesh  Sides 

— Soit  Boarding 35 

Dressing  with  Blacking  and  Beef  Blood — Recipe  for  Making  the  Dressing 

— How  Put  On — Cleanliness — Drying  and  Oiling  Off 36 

Nature  of  Oils  Used  in  the  Final  Finish — Brown  Grease  vs.  Tallow — The 

Proportions  of  Oil  and  Grease — Temperature  of  the  Room  and  Oil   .    -      37 
Assorting  and  the  Several  Classifications — Measuring  the  Leather — How 

Put  Up — The  Ripening  Process — "  Levant  "  a  Substitute  for  Beef  Blood     38 
Recipe  for  Making  Grain  Blacking,  and  Cost  per  Gallon 39 

CHAPTER  V. 
Fr,ESH  Split  Finishing. 
Assorting  and  Trimming — The  Percentage  Obtained  Suitable  for  Flesh 
Finish — Grain  Splits  Re-tanned  and  Sold  in  the  Rough — The  Several 
Classifications  and  Weights  Most  Desirable — Shaving  and  Leveling  by 
Machine 40 


CONTENTS.  iij 

Re-tanning  in  Drum  Wheel  with  Gambier — Amount  Used  per  Wheel 

Finishing  Out  the  Tanning  in  Pits,  with  Bark  Liquor  Scouring  and 
Drying — Dampening .j 

Stuffing — Weight  of  Each  Batch  of  Dry  or  Dampened  Splits— Nature  of 
Greases  Used,  and  Quantity  of  Same — Temperature  of  Grease  and 
Wheel — Time  Required  in  the  Wheel ^ 

Setting  an(  I  Drying— Whitening— Blood  Veins— Trimming— Soft-Boarding 
on   the  Grain  Side — Finishing ., 

Glassing  on  Grain  Side  by  Jack-Machine — Recipes  for  Making  Blacking 

and  Paste ^ 

Recipe  for  Preparing  the  Gum— Blacking  and  Glassing  ........      45 

Pasting  and  Glassing— Oiling,  Glassing  and  Gumming— Proportionate 
Parts  of  Gum  and  Paste,  also  Oils 46 

Rain  or  Condensed  Steam  Water  for  Pastes  and  Dressings— Style  of 
Sponges  Used— A  Lusterless  or  Bright  Finish— Putting  up  the  Splits  in 
the  Several  Classifications aj 

CHAPTER   VI. 
Construction  of  Tanneries. 

Ground  Plan  of  Tannery .g 

An  Imaginary  Tannery— City  and  Country— Water  Supply— Precautioij 
Against  Freshets  and  Inundations — Preparing  for  the  Foundation — Pits 
and  Junk,  how  Built ^o 

Mixing  of  Clay  and  Precautions  Taken  in  Applying — Liquor  Log  Convey- 
ers, how  Set — Kind  of  Timber  Used  for  the  Foundations 50 

The  Safest  and  Most  Economical  Style  of  Pits — The  "Box"  and  the 
"Buffalo"  Pit — How  Built  and  Connected  with  the  Liquor  Log  Con- 
veyers    CJ 

Claying  on  the  Outside  of  Pits— When  in  Position  Fill  with  Water-^The 
Tanner  who  Built  on  too  Economic  Principles — "Saving  at  the  Spig 
and  Opening  Wide  the  Bung-hole  " 52 

Finishing  Shops  Connected  with  the  Tannery  not  Advisable — When  Sepa- 
rate the  Tannery  may  be  Built  at  Comparatively  Small  Expense — Sin- 
gle Story  and  of  Piles  Set  in  the  Ground — The  Roof  Supported  by 
Trestle  Work— Constructed  of  Stone  and  Brick — Protection  from  Cold 
— Skylights c. 

Interior  Arrangements— The  Beam-house  and  Tannery  Under  the  Same 
Roof— Soaks  and  Limes — The  Several  Styles  of  Machines  and  How 
Placed — No  Retrograde  Movements  —  Adoption  of  System — Leach 
House CA 

The  Leaches  to  Be  of  Easy  Access  to  the  Tannery,  But  Separate  from  It- 
How  Built — Round  or  Square  Box-Leaches — Foundation •  .      55 

The  Material  Used  in  the  Construction  of  the  Round  Leach — Capacity- 
Bearing — Average  Service  of  the  Round  Leach— Dry  Rot — Loss  of  Li- 
(juors — How  Remedied eg 

Mixture  of  Porgee  Fish  Oil,  Tar  and  Red-Ochre  for  Preserving  the  Wood 
Work — Painting  Tannery  Buildings  and  Tools 57 

False  Bottoms  of  Leaches  for  Preventing  the  Fine  Dust  from  Entering  the 
Pits— Connecting  the  Leaches  with  Log  Conveyers  to  the  Pits  and 
Liquor  Pumps — Density  of  Liquors  Produced  for  Sole  Leather  Tanning.     58 

PumpinjT  Capacity-=-Bark  Mills,  where  Located — The  Conveyer  System, 
how  Arv^nged — Engine  and  Boiler-house,  where  Located 59 

Brick  or  Stone  .Building  for  Engine  and  Boiler-house — Kind  of  Boilers — 
Smoke-stack — Wet  Tan  Ovens — Capacity  of  Boilers  and  Engines,  and 
Errors  Made  When  Building  and  Setting  Up  Machinery — Light,  Sunshine 
and  good  Ventilation  Indespensable  in  Tannery  and  Finishing  Shops — 
Splitting  and  Finishing  Departments — Fire-risks — Miniature  Railway 
from  Tannery  to  the  Shops — Origin  of  Fires — How  Protected 60 


CONTENTS. 


Fire-Proof  Rooms  —  Pumps  and  Hose  Ready  for  Action  —  Finishing 
Shops,  How  Built — Foundation  for  Machinery — Dimensions  of  the 
Building — The  Several  Departments 6i 

Stufl&ng  Wheels,  Steam  Jacket  Kettles,  Oil  and  Grease,  Where  Located — 
Steam  Elevators — Sole  Leather  Tanneries — Scrubber  and  Rolling  Ma- 
chines, Where  Located — Air-Tight  Compartments  for  Ripening  the 
Leather — Uniform  Temperature  for  Dry  Finished  Leather — Ofl&ces — 
Heating  and  Drying — Olden-time  Methods  of  Drying — F'rozen  and 
Thawed — One  Good  Freezing  Considered  Equal  to  a  Layer  of  Bark — 
Loss  in  Weight  by  Freezing 62 

Freezing  Beneficial  to  Some  Kinds  of  Leather — Artificial  Heat,  Light  and 
Air — Arrangement  of  Steam  Pipes — Ventilators,  how  Made  and  where 
Located — Temperature  of  the  Lofts — True  Principle  of  Ventilating  .  .      63 

Uniform  Circulation  of  Damp  Air — Objections  to  Placing  Steam  Pipes  on 
the  Floor  and  under  the  Wet  Leather — Hide  House,  how  Built — Ample 
Space  for  Assorting,  Trimming  and  Re-salting— Fire-proof — Rates  of 
Insurance — Radical  Changes  from  Old-time  Methods — Concentration  of 
Capital — "  Not  too  Many  Eggs  in  One  Basket." 64 

Precautions  Against  Fire — Hide  Values — Approximate  Value  of  Hides 
and  Leather  in  Pits — Bark  Sheds,  how  Built — Depreciation  of  Bark 
where  Exposed  to  Rain  and  Sunshine — Corrugated  Iron  Sheds — Facili- 
ties for  Receiving  Bark 65 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Imitation  Goat  and  Boot  Grain. 

Imitation  Goat,  as  made  from  Cow  Hides — When  First  Introduced  to  the 
Trade — Experiments  Made — Substances — Bright  and  Dull  Finish  ...      66 

Short  Life  Predicted —Comparative  Cost  with  Goatskins — New  Standard 
Lines— Class  of  Hides  Best  Suited — Preparing  the  Hides — Rough  Lea- 
ther Tannage — Liming  and  Bating — Coloring  and  Suspending  on 
Sticks — Time  Required  in  Tanning 67 

Skiving  and  Snuffing  Off  Imperfections  on  Grain — Selections  Made  For 
the  Several  Grades — Marking  the  Sides  Fcr  Future  Reference — Split- 
ting by  Belt  Knife  or  Union  Machine— Stoning  Out  the  Coarse  Por- 
tions        68 

Shaving — Re-tanning  in  Sumac — Uniform  Color — Drum  Wheels  for  Re- 
tanning — Amount  of  Sumac  and  Water  Used  Per  Wheel 69 

Time  Required  in  the  Wheel — Scouring  and  Oiling  On  Grain  and  Flesh 
— Grain  Cracking — Sammieing 70 

Light  and  Air — Drying  and  Dampening — Setting  on  Grain — Oiling  and 
Drying 71 

Blacking — Recipe  for  Making  the  Blacking — Drip  Water  or  Condensed 
Steam — Logwood  Mordant  and  Sal-Soda — Clean  Black — Cleanliness  of 
Employes — Advantages  Derived  by  the  Use  of  Sumac  in  Re-tanning  .      72 

Wearing  Quality  in  Comparison  to  the  Real  Goatskin — Blacking — Trim- 
ming and  Applying  the  Scar  Paste  to  Grain  Imperfections — Recipe  for 
Making  Scar  Paste — Imitation  Goat  Dressing — Recipe  for  Making  It  .      73 

Pebbling — The  Character  of  the  Print — Wet  Boarding  on  the  Grain  With 
Cork  Board — Second  Dressing  of  Blood  and  Blacking — Drying.    ...      74 

French  and  American  Tanners — Cleanliness  and  Artistic  Manner  in  Put- 
ting up  Stock — The  Coming  World's  Fair — Fact  and  Fancy — The  Con- 
tinued Boarding  on  Grain  and  Flesh — Polishing  by  Machine — Restoring 
the  Print  by  Cork  Boarding 75 

An  Average  Day's  Work  of  Hand  Boarding — Oiling  OflT— Nature  of  Oils 
and  Proportionate  Parts — Bright  Oil  or  Half  Bright  Imitation  Goat,  how 
Made— Oiling  Off  and  Nature  of  Oils— Straight  Grain,  how  Made  ...      76 

Boot  Grain — American  and  English  Styles — How  Tanned  and  Finished — 
Bright  and  Dull  Finish — Buffing  off  the  Grain — Sides  and  Crops — Ser- 
vice  and  Comfort „ 77 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 
Welt  Leather. 

Style  of  Leather  Required — Oak  and  Hemlock — Free  from  Imperfections 
on  Grain  and  Flesh — Taking  OflF  the  Heads  and  Skirtings — Backs — 
Preparing  for  Skiving — Hand-sewed  and  Machine-sewed  Welts — Sub- 
stance of  Each — Skiving  and  Splitting — Shaving  and  Re-tanning  in 
Gambler 78 

Scouring,  Oiling  and  Sammieing — Dampening  and  Setting — Hand  Stuff- 
ing— Nature  and  Proportions  of  Grease  Used — Drying — Slicking  on  the 
Flesh — Buffing  off  the  Grain  for  Machine-sewed — Assorting  and  Putting 
up  for  Shipping 79-80 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Manufacture  of  Glove  Grain  or  Imitation  Calf. 

When  First  Introduced — More  Recent  Improvements  Made  in  the  Tan- 
nage  and   Finish — The  Advantages  Over   Waxed  Calfskins — Class  of 

Hides  Required — Buffing  Off  the  Grain 81 

Medium  Weight  Veal  Kips  are  Employed  for  this  Work — How  to  Pro- 
duce the  Required  Full  and  Plump  Flanks 82 

Hide  Trim — Glue  Stock — The  Close  Trim  Adopted  by  Calfskin  Tanners.     83 

Cut  of  Hide 84 

As  Nature  Formed  Them — Preparing  the  Hides — Basis  for  a  Pack — Wash- 
ing in  the  Wheel — Splitting  and  Soaking — Time  Required  in  Soaking  .      85 

Wash  Wheel — Fleshing 86 

Dry  Flint  Hides — How  Treated — Fleshing  and  Green-shaving  Before  and 
Afier  Liming — White  Spots  on  Leather,  the  Cause — The  Evil  Results  of 

Green-shaving 87 

The  Net  Work  of  Nerves,  and  how  Removed — Quality  Rather  than  Quan- 
tity of  the  Work  Performed  by  the  Beam  Hands 88 

Cut  of  Key  for  Pinning  the  Hides  Together — Loss  of  Gelatine — Washing 

and  Preparing  the  Hides  for  the  liming 89 

Hide  Reel,  how  Operated 90 

Lime  Required  for  a  Pack  of  Hides — Cleaning  Out  and  Making  New- 
Limes — Changing  Over  the  Packs  and  Time  Required  in  the  Process — 

Soles  and  Upper  Leather  Liming 91 

Hot  Water  Bath ,  Temperature  of  Sam^ — Unhairing  and  Washing  in  the 

Vv^'.ieel — Leveling  the  Pates 92 

Pate  Splitting  Machine — Friction  Gear  for  Union  Machine — Bating  ...      93 
Loathsome  Neutralizing  Agent — Amount  of  Chicken  Manure  required  for 
the  Pack — Temperature  of  Bate  and  Time  required  for  Neutralizing  the 

Lime 94 

Fermenting  the  JNIanure  before  Using — How  Prepared — Cleanliness  ...      95 
Daily  Routine  of  the  Beam-house  work — Working  Out  the  Bate — Wash- 
ing in  Cold  Water 9^ 

CHAPTER  X. 
Coloring,  or  Setting  the  Grain. 

The  English  Handling  Wheel,  how  Constructed — Is  one  of  the  best  Labor- 
Saving  Appliances  in  the  Tannery,  when  Judiciously  Used 97 

Whipping  Out  the  Nap — Clean  Wheel  and  Pure  Liquors — The  Diamond 
Figure  on  Grain — Fact  and  Fancy ■    "    .    .      98 

Suspending  in  the  Pits — The  Difference  Between  Buff  Leather  and  Imita- 
tion Calf— "Glace  Calf,"  "Satinoil,"  "Satin Calf,"  etc.— Soda  Ash  and 
Sulphur  in  Connection  with  Lime  for  Depilating — Thick  Grain— Time 
required  in  the  Tanning  Process ;    ■    '    "      99 

Tannery  and  Pit  Capacity — "Buffalo"  Pits — Dimensions  of  Sticks  for 
Hanging — Brass  Screws — Method  for  Connecting  the  Hides  to  Sticks  .     10 


CONTENTS. 


Saving  of  Time  and  Labor  by  Suspending — Changing  the  Packs — Density 
of  the  Liquors — "  Onward  and  Upward  "  the  Tanner's  Motto lor 

Overfeeding  and  Starving — Classifications — Steer,  Cow  and  Bull  Hides — 
Age,  Size,  Weight  and  Composition  of  Hides — Cleanliness — Use  of 
Steam  Pump  and  Hose — Water  Supply 102 

Time  Required  in  the  Tanning  Process — The  Bark  Crusher — Relief  Corps 
— Density  of  Liquors  in  the  Later  Stages i£o 

CHAPTER  XI. 

Amount  of  Bark  Required. 

Bark  Mills — Re-tanning  of  Sides  and  Splits 104 

Grinding  and  Leaching — The  Press  System — Pure  Liquors 105 

Preparing  for  Skiving — Wheeling — Giving  the  Sides  Their  Natural  Con- 
tour    106 

Skiving  by  Hand  or  Belt-knife  Machine — Barb-wire  Imperfections  and 

Horn  Marks — The  Treacherous  Barb 107 

The  Revolving  Spur  as  a  Substitute — Tanners  Should  Take  a  Decided 

Stand 108 

Seventy-five  Per  Cent  of  the  Hides  Are  Disfigured  by  Coming  in  Contact 
with  the  Treacherous  Barb-wire — "Unsight  and  Unseen  " — Present  and 

Prospective  Supply  of  Hides — Classifications 109 

Leveling  and  Shaving no 

Re-tanning  the  Splits — Gambler  and  Other  Tanning  Agents ill 

Splitting — The  Belt-knife  Machine  a  Favorite  with  Tanners  Making  Light 

Grain  Leathers 112 

Shaving — Private  Marks 113 

Re-tanning  the  Sides — Gambler  and  Sumac — Amounts  Used 114 

Cost  of  Re-tanning — Oak  Extract — Scouring  and  Sammieing 115 

Dampening  and  Preparing  for  Stuffing 116 

Stuffing  Wheel  and  Greases  Used — Capacity  of  Wheel 117 

Jacket  Steam  Kettles — Direct  Steam — Ventilator — Nature  of  Greases  and 

Temperature  of  Wheel  and  Grease 118 

"Practice   Makes  Perfect"    Stuffing 119 

Setting  and   Drying 120 

Slicking  and  Buffing 121 

Roughing  Off  and  Snuffing  the  Grain — Recipe  for  Grain  Blacking — To 

Prevent  Piping  of  the  Grain 122 

Preparing  the  Mordant — Sal  Soda  and  Logwood 123 

Glassing  and  Oiling— Recipe  for  Making  Paste — Pasting  and  Soft  Board- 
ing— Grain  Dressing 124 

Soft  Boarding — Glassing  out  of  Paste 125 

Gumming — How  the  Gum  is  Prepared  and  Its  Consistency 126 

Drying  and  Matching  the  Sides — Measuring  and  Classifying — Putting  up 
for  shipment 127 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Sulphide  op  Sodium  Process. 

A  Comparatively  new  Agent  in  this  Country  for  Depilating  and  Deplet- 
ing the  Hides 128 

Its  Action  on  Hides  and  Skins — How  Applied 129 

Experiments  Made  by  the  Quick  Time  Process — No  Bating  Required  .    .    130 
The  Lime  Used  in  Connection  Robbed  of  Its  Caustic  Properties — Ex- 
hausting the  Tannic  Acid  more  Rapidly — Liming  and  Bating  Abolished 
— Sole  and  Upper  Leather — The  Tannery  a  Sweet  Smelling  Institution.  131 
Destruction  of  the  Hair,  but  a  much  Greater  Gain  in  Weight  of  Leather 
— The  Hot  Bath — Amouut  of  Sodium  per  Hide — Acid  and  Non-acid 

Sole  Leather 132 

Result  of  First  Experiments  for  Rough  Leather — Plumper  Flanks  and 
Shoulders  and  a  Thicker  Grain — Color 133 


CONTENTS.  yii 

The  Superior  Quality  and  Thickness  of  the  Grain  Produced  by  the  Use  of 
Sulphideof  Sodium  Makes  It  Especially  Adapted  for  Sole  and  Upper 
Leather,  where  the  Grain  is  BuflFed  OflF  in  Finishing .134 

It  is  a  Softening  and  Preserving  Agent  and  of  Value  when  Working  Dry 
Flint  Hides— Amount  Used  per  Hide  in  the  Soaks 135 

Shy  of  Adopting  New  Methods— Imaginary  Results— Opposition  from  the 
Beam  Hands ,  , j,g 

Sulphide  of  Sodium  made  from  Tank  Waste,  is  in  Small  Crystals — Experi- 
ments as  Made  in  1873,  and  the  Results 1,7 

Correspondence  with  Tanners — Used  with  Lime  or  Pipe  Clay  in  the  Form 
of  Paste — The  Liquid  Form  More  Practical 138 

Acid  in  Connection  for  Sole  Leather  Tannage — Experiments  Made  at  a 
Milwaukee  Tannery  by  the  " Lightning  Process" 135 

Tanners  Skeptical  on  Account  of  the  Color  of  the  Grain  when  Going  into 
the  Liquors — No  Fear  of  Injuring  the  Hides  by  Its  Use 140 

CHAPTER  XIIL 

Harness  Leather. 

Class  of  Hides — ^Trimming — Horn  Marks  and  Imperfections  On  Grain 
and   Flesh — Preparing  in  the  Beam    House — Sulphide  of  Sodium   in 

Place  of  Lime  and  Chicken  Manure 141 

Suggestions  in  Relation  to  Buffing  Off  the  Grain — Imperfections  Re- 
moved by  Buffing 142 

When  FairlyTanned  by  Suspension  Put  Them  in  the  "Lay-Aways" — Sam- 

mieing,  Skiving  and  Re-Tanning 143 

Scouring  and  Sammieing — Dampening  and  Ripening 144 

Stuffing     by    Wheel — Temperature  of    Grease   and    Wheel — Nature   of 

Greases  Used 145 

Advantages  in  V/heel  Stuffing  Over  Hand  Stuffing — Practically  Water- 
proof  146 

Setting  and  Drying — Blacking — Finishing 147 

Tallow  Dressing — Trimming — Harness  Mordants 148 

Recipe  For  Harness  Black 149 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Oak  and  Hemlock  Bark  Extracts. 

Bark  Supply—Increasing  Demand  For  Extracts  For  Export — Advan- 
tages Derived  by  their  Use 150 

Chemical  Analysis  of  the  So-called  Spent  Bark — Upper  and  Sole  Lea- 
ther Tanneries — Concentration  of  the  Liquors  in  Vacuum  Pans — Re- 
trospective View  151 

Opposition  to  Changes  from  Old-time  Methods 152 

The  Future  of  the  Leather  Manufacture — Old  Fogies — Science  and  Chem- 
istry'— Decided  Improvement  in  the  Quality  of  Extracts  during  the  past 
Ten  Years — Enterprising  Tanners 153 

Increased  Cost  of  Gambier  since  the  Dongola  Tannages  came  into  Exist- 
ence— Storage  Capacity — No  Fermentation  or  Decay — Handy  to  Have 
in  the  Tannery 154 

Standard  Extracts — Sulphuric  and  Gallic  Acids — Barkometer  Tests — Ex- 
periments Made  by  Prominent  Extract  Manufacturers — Examples — 
Twaddles'  Hydrometer 155 

Successful  Sole  Leather  Tanners — Sole  and  Upper  Leather  Liquors — Per- 
centage of  Tannic  Acid  in  Bark — Illustration 156 

The  Medium  Tannages — Acid  Sole  Leather — Waste  of  Bark — Extracts 
Used  too  Strong  in  the  First  Stages 157 

The  Advantages  Derived  through  the  Use  of  Extracts— Storing— Tanks 
and  Steam  Pipes  for  Mixing— Temperature  of  Liquors— First  Impres- 
sions    I5g 


CONTENTS. 


Harness  and  Upper,  Union  Tanned  — "  Reds,"  or  Anhydrides,  when  Sol- 
uble— Results  of  General  Introduction  of  Bark  Extracts  and  Abolishing 
the  Bate  Nuisance 159 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Abreast  with  the  Times. 

A  Noteworthy  Fact — Leather  Manufacture  in  Chicago  and  Milwaukee — 
Capital  Etnployed  and  Annual  Products — Cords  of  Bark  Used — Eastern 
and  Western  Tanners i6a 

Dry  Flint  and  Green  Cured  Hides — Western  Calf,  Kip  and  Grain  Leather 
— Change  iu  Styles — The  Tendency  of  Consumers  of  Footwear — Ever 
Watchful  in  Catering  to  the  Wants  of  Fickle  Humanity — Dongola  Kid.  161 

The  Introduction  of  New  Styles — To  Witness  More  Radical  Changes — 
Waxed  Calf  and  Kip  Output  in  Chicago — Compared  with  French  Skins 
— Reducing  the  Importation  of  French  Skins — Credit  to  the  Western 
Tanners — Eastern  Tanners  on  the  Anxious  Seat 162 

VALUABLE  INFORMATION. 

Something  About  Warbles — 320,000  Species  of  Insects  in  the  World — The 
Stupidest  is  the  Female  Ox  Bot — In  Britain  a  "  Warble,"  in  America  a 
"  Grub  "—Depositing  the  Eggs — Eating  Their  Way  Out 163 

Description  and  Cuts  of  Warbles 164 

Imitation  of  Kangaroo. 

Class  of  Hides  and  Skins  Used — Qualities  and  Cost  of  Kangaroo    ....    165 

Calfskins  and  Horsehides  Make  Very  Desirable  Imitations  at  Compara- 
tively Small  Cost — The  Tannage  and  Finish — Sulphide  of  Sodium  for 
Depilating  the  Skins 166 

Suspending  the  Skins — Change  of  Liquors — Shaving,  Retanning  and 
Scouring — Stuffing — How  Prepared — Bright,  Half  Bright  and  Lusterless 
Finish 167 

Batches  and  Number  of  Pounds  per  Wheel — Nature  of  Greases  Used — 
Temperature  and  Time  Required — Nature  of  Tannage — Setting  and  Dry- 
ing— Finishing 168 

Skinning-  and  Curing  Veai,  Skins. 

By  Carroll  S.  Page,  Hyde  Park,  Vt.— A  Talk  with  Butchers 169. 

Sticking  the  Calf  and  Bleeding — How  Done  .    ...        170 

Ripping — Skinning  the  Legs — The  Correct  Way  of  Taking  Off  the  Skin  .  171 

The  Proper  Pattern — Right  and  Wrong  Way 172 

Skinning  the  Head  and  Body — Prize  of  $50  for  the  Best  Methods  .    .    .  173 

Drawn  Skins — Wooden  Implements  Used — First  Method 174 

Second  Method 175 

Cur  ng — Never  put  a  Skin  in  Pickle — To  be  Kept  Free  from  Blood   .    .    .  176 

Directions  for  Handling  Skins  when  Taken  Off,  and  Manner  of  Shipments.  177 

Codfish  and  Tanners'  Oii,s. 

The  Several  Species  of  Fish  Oils — How  Expressed  From  the  Livers — 
Second  and  Third  Runs 178 

Pure  Cod,  Thick  Oil  and  Blubber — Chemical  Composition  of  Cod  Liver 
Oil — Porgee  Fish  Oil — How  Made — Its  Good  Qualities  for  Painting,  but 
Objectionable  for  Leather  Purposes — It  Has  Given  Considerable  Trouble 
to  Tanners — Mixing  with   Paraffine   Oil— Proportions 179 

How  to  Test  Fish  Oils — Oftentimes  Oil  Dealers  Are  Blamed  Without 
Cause 180 

Raise  The  Standard. 

Competitions  and  Close  Margins 180 

Ambition  to  Excel  in  the  Output,  with  Less  Attention  to  Style  and  Qual- 
ity— Theories  Will  Not  Bridge  Over  the  Chasm — With  a  Life  Experience 
There  is  Always  Something  to  Learn 181 


CONTENTS. 


How  Raise  the  Standard  when  Margins  are  so  Close — Employers  Look 
More  to  Salary  than  Brains  in  the  Management — A  Figure  Head — 
"  Punch  and  Judy  " — Eternal  Vigilance 182 

Strict  Economy — System  and  Method — Have  a  Place  for  Everything — 
Make  the  Tannery  and  Workshops  Attractive  and  Clean — Invent  Some- 
thing— Treatment  of  Workmen — Essential  Qualifications 183 

Harmony  and  Concert  of  Action  Necessary — The  Time  Never  More  Aus- 
picious to  Take  the  Initiative 184 

Past,  Present  and  Future  in  the  Leather  Manufacture. 

Has  Been  a  Slow-going  Process — Improvements  Made  the  Past  Twenty- 
five  Years — Sole  and  Wax  Upper  Leather  Tanning — Unbelievers  .    .    .    184 

The  Ice  Has  Been  Broken — A  Revolution  in  the  Art  of  Making  Leather 
Predicted — Tanning  by  Electricity — How  Done— Its  Advantages  Over 
the  Old  Methods — Use  of  Extracts — Continuous  Agitation  of  the  Fibers 
of  the  Hide  and  Results 185 

At  the  Opening  of  the  Twentieth  Century — Prospective  Process  of  Tan- 
ning Hides  and  Advantages  Derived — No  Shoddy 186 

Kangaroo. 

Kangaroo  Skins  from  Australia  Tanned  in  America — When  the  Skins 
Were  First  Introduced  in  this  Country — Very  Tenacious  and  of  Thick 
Grain — Impervious  to  Water — What  Constitutes  "a  Set/'  for  Hunting 
the  Kangaroo — Tactics  of  the  Animal 187 

Hunter's  Protection — Agility  of  the  Kangaroo — Dififerent  Sorts — Hunters 
Realize  Several  Thousand  Dollars  Each,  Free  of  Living  Expenses — 
Where  the  Skins  are  Tanned  and  Sold 188 

Oriental  Tanners. 

The  Egyptian  Curriers — Their  Products — Beautifully  Embossed  Leather 
Found  Fastened  Round  the  Mummies — Leather  Considered  Unclean  by 
the  Hindoos,  and  Those  Who  Work  in  It  Are  Defiled — Shoemakers  are 
of  the  Very  Lowest  Caste  of  India— The  Chinese  Process  of  Tanning — 
Jewish  Sacrifices  AflForded  the  Skin  Market  a  Copious  Supply — Leath- 
ern Bottles  and  Drinking  Vessels — Only  One  Tanner  Mentioned  in  the 
Bible,  Simon — Relics  of  Leather  from  the  Egyptian  Tombs  in  a  State  of 
Perfect  Preservation,  which  Passed  through  the  Hands  of  the  Tanner 
More  than  Thirty  Centuries  ago 189 

Healthy  Hides. 

Communicating  Disease  an  Impossibilit}-,  after  Going  Through  the  Dif- 
ferent Processes 190 

Chinese  Hides. 

The  Hide  Trade  in  China — Exports  to  England  and  America — ^The  First 
Shipment — Hides  are  Strong,  Sun-dried  and  Short-haired — Not  a  Great 
Hide  Producing  Country — Those  Cut  or  Otherwise  Injured  are  Tanned 
at  Home — Heads  and  Shanks  Cut  Off— \re  Treated  with  a  Worm  or 
Insect  Powder — The  Chinese  Tricky  in  Regard  to  Weights 191 

Vacuum  Tanning. 

Has  Long  Engaged  the  Attention  of  Tanners — Nature  Abhors  a  Vacuum- 
Difference  between  Theory  and  Practice — Machinery  Employed — Reser- 
voir and  Rocker  Motion — The  Air  is  Exhaustively  Pumped  Out — Claims 
of  an  Inventor 192 

Analysis  oe  Tannic  Acid. 

The  Value  of  Science  in  the  Development  of  Industry — That  of  Tanning 
has  been  Neglected 192 


CONTENTS. 


Good  Chemists  and  Good  Mechanics — The  Discovery  of  Bark  as  a  Tan- 
ning Agent  an  Accident — Combination  of  Tannic  Acid — Analysis  of 
Barks 193 

Importance  of  a  True  Knowledge  of  Chemistry — Visits  to  Oak  Hemlock 

Tanneries I94 

Tanning  Extracts  and  Materials. 

Abstract  of  a  Lecture  before  the  German  Tanners'  Association,  by  H.  W. 
Eitner,  of  Vienna  Experimental  Station — The  Subject  an  Important 
one  in  Modern  Tanning — The  Application  of  Tanning  Extracts  .    .    .    .    194 

The  time  when  Tanners  Sneered  at  Extracts — Able  to  Compete  in  the 
World's  Markets — English  and  American  Extract  Tanning — Opinions 
Begin  to  Differ — Gaining  New  Advocates  at  every  Step — In  England  all 
Upper  and  Lighter  Skins  are  Tanned  with  Extracts 195 

A  Grading  of  the  Baths — Time  the  Skins  Are  Immersed — Hydrometer 
Tests  Not  Reliable — Oak  and  Valonia  Extracts ,    .    1    .    .    196 

A  Stuffed  Human  Skin. 

Pranzeni,  the  Paris  Murderer's  Skin,  Made  Into  Card  Cases — Romantic 
History  of  a  Man  Who  Figured  in  Austrian  Emperor's  Private  Mu- 
seum and  Whose  Skin  Was  Stuffed— The  History  of  Angelo  Soliman..  197 

Offspring  of  a  Native  King — Kidnapped — Sold  as  a  Slave — Future  His- 
tory   198 

Tannin  From  Canaigre. 

A  New  Candidate  For  Tanners'  Favor— The  Roots  Four  to  Six  Inches 
Long  and  Resemble  Potatoes — Results  of  Chemical  Analysis — Known 
as  Rheotannic  Acid   .    .       i99 

Percentages  Extracted  by  Solvents  From  the  Air-Dried  Root 200 

Analysis  of  Canaigre  Root  by  Prof.  Elsom — Tannic  Acid 201 

Spontaneous  Combustion  of  Lampblack. 

Fires  Occurring  From  Spontaneous  Ignition  of  Vegetable  Black  Are  Very 
Common — Time  Required — Caused  by  Absorption  of  Oil — Factories 
Burned— The  Cause  Traced 202 

Tanning  By  Electricity. 

Making  Leather  is  Now  Essentially  the  Same  in  Principle  as  it  Was  in 
the  Days  of  Pharaoh — Some  Improvements  in  Preparing  the  Hides — 
An  English  Patent  Proposes  to  Pass  a  Current  of  Electricity  Through 
the  Pits  Containing  the  Tannin 203 

CuTCH  AND  Wattle  Barks. 

The  Acacia  Family  of  Plants  an  Important  One  in  Many  Parts  of  the 
World— Acacia  Catechu,  the  Extract  of  Which  Produces  Cutch  or 
Terra  Japonica,  a  Product  of  India  and  Africa — Acacia  Decurrens  or 
Black  Wattle— Rich  in  Tannin — Price  in  Melbourne  and  England    .    .    204 

Experiments  Made  by  Von  Mueller,  of  Melbourne— One  Ton  ot  Bark 
Yielded  Four  Cwt.  of  Extract  of  Tar  Consistence,  and  Sold  in  London 
in  1853  at  I250  per  Ton — Numerous  Methods  of  Extracting 205 

A  Tallow  Tree. 

A  Remarkable  Tree,  Native  of  China — Quantities  of  Oil  and  Tallow  are 
Extracted  from  Its  Fruit— The  Seed— Method  of  Separating  the  Pro- 
ducts   206 

Leather  Belting. 

A  Large  Industry— Complaints  of  Belts  Doing  Poor  Service — The  Princi- 
pal Difficulty — Power  Transmission  under  the  Direction  of  a  Competent 
Engineer 206 


CONTENTS.  xi 


Maximum  Capacity  and  Minimum  Motion  ;  Terms  Reversed — Mr.  Arnold 
in  His  "  Mechanical  Principa  "  Gives  some  Valuable  Data  on  the  Velo- 
city and  Driving  Power  of  Belts — Reproduced — How  to  Regulate  Speed 
of  Shaft 207 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Simple  Interest  Rules. 

Methods  of  Computing  Interest  on  any  Given  Sum  from  Four  to  Twelve 
Per  Cent — Facts  Worth   Knowing 208 

Tanning  Mixture  for  Glove  Leather,  Etc. 

The  Several  Ingredients  Used 209 

How  Prepared — Sumac,  Oak  Bark  and  Nutgalls  —Temperature  of  Mix- 
ture— How  Applied — Quick  Tanning — Will  Take  any  Color  and  not 
Fade 210 

Carbolic  and  Sulphuric  Acids. 

Carbolic  Acid  as  a  Disinfectant  and  Preservative  for  Hides — Also  as  a 
Bate  for  Neutralizing  the  Lime  in  Connection  with  Muriate  of  Am- 
monia and  Alum — Invention  of  one  Perkins — Recipe  for  Making  .    .    .    210 

What  is  Claimed  for  It  as  a  Bate — The  Process  Simple  and  Feasible — Ob- 
jectionable Relics — Sulphuric  and  Acetic  Acids  for  Plumping  Sole 
Leather  Hides 211 

Raw  Hide  Belting. 

Process  of  Preparing  the  Hides — "  Indian  Processs  "  in  Five  Acts  ....    211 
Composition  of  Oil  and  Tallow  to  Render  it  Soft  and   Pliable — Cut  into 
Strips — Retains  all  of  its  Gelatinous  Substance  and  Fiber  Tissues  Un- 
impaired— Claims  made  for  It 212 

A  Tanning  Process  for  Use  on  a  Farm. 

Soaking  and  Fleshing — With  the  Hair  On — Ingredients  Used  for  Tan- 
ning— To  Tan  with  the  Hair  Off — Ingredients  Used  and  How  Applied  ,    212 

Quick  Method  of  Tanning. 

Combination  Process  for  Hardening  and  Preserving  the  Leather — Of  what, 
the  Invention  Consists — The  Process  for  Tanning  Fifty  Skins 213 

Removing  Acids  from  Leather. 
Invention  for  Neutralizing  the  Acids  which  Remain  in  the  Hides  after 
being  Tanned — Ingredients  and  How  Applied 214 

Artificial  Leather. 
Process  by  which  Artificial  Leather  is  being  Made  in  Germany — How 
Scraps  of  Leather  and  Sinews  are  Treated  in  Hydrochloric  Acid — Mixed 
and  Pressed  into  Sheets,  givingtothe  upper  Surface  a  thin  coat  of  Caout- 
chouc in  Solution  with  Carbon  Bi-sulphide,  in  Imitation  of  the  real  Cu- 
ticle of  a  Skin 214 

Extract  Tanning. 

To  Produce  Good  Leather  at  Low  Cost  an  Important  Question — Tests 
Made  by  a  Tanner  and  Advantages  Derived — No  Waste  or  Evaporation 
— The  Barkometer  is  Useless  to  Test  the  Relative  Values  of  Extracts — 
The  Proper  Way 214 

Hides  of  P'arm  Slaughtered  Animals. 

Careless  Manner  in  which  They  are  Taken  Off— Calf  and  Sheep  Pelts 
Ruined — How  to  Make  Them  Valuable  and  Attractive — Hints  in  Re- 
gard to  Taking  Off  a  Hide— Salting— Staking  Out 215 


CONTENTS. 


The;  Weighting  of  IvEather. 

Taking  Advantage  of  the  Consuoier — Experiments  Made  by  M.  Eitner, 
the  Well-known  Chemist  at  Vienna — The  Sulphate  of  Baryta  is  a  Pro- 
duct from  Chloride  of  Barium  and  Sulphuric  Acid  ;  is  a  Delusion  and  a 
Fraud — Blood  Poisoning 216 

Art  in  Oii^ing  Shoes. 

The  One-Armed  Bootblack's  Contract — When  He  Began  Business  He 
Made  the  Mistake  by  Applying  the  Oil  Without  Dampening  the  Lea- 
ther— The  Socks  of  His  Customers  were  Soiled — The  Leather  Remained 
Hard— The  Lost  Customers— What  an  Old  Shoemaker  Told  Him— The 
Result 217 

Shagrin  Leather. 

Celebrated  for  Its  Hardness  and  Strength — Peculiarity  of  Its  Grain — Glob- 
ular Granules  — Is  of  Eastern  Origin — Its  Production  for  a  Long  Time 
Ke  pt  a  Secret 217 

Tanning  Hides  and  Skins  with  Hair  On, 

Convenient  Method  for  Farmers  or  Others  to  Tan  Hides  and  Dress  Furs — 
Recipe 218 

About  Sumac. 

Luxuriant  Growth  in  Kentucky  and  Virginia — Richer  in  Tannin  than  the 
Best  Sicily — A  Bleaching  Agent 218 

Coi,oring  Furs. 

Process  for  Coloring  Furs  after  Being  Tanued 219 

A  "Forgotten"  Color  for  Glazed  Leather. 

A  decoction  of  Onion  Peel  Communicates  to  Glazed  Leather  a  very  beau- 
tiful Orange  Yellow — As  a  Mixing  Color 219 . 

Constituents  of  Hides. 

Wherein  Text  Books  have  Failed — A  Healthy  Skin  is  Soft,  Flexible  and 
Porous 219 

Hides  from  Healthy,  Well-fed  Beasts  Make  the  Best  of  Leather — Life  and 
Death — Cool  Sweating — Ammonia  and  Fatty  Matter — Cause  of  the  Su- 
perior Weight  of  Sweated  Leather — Tannin,  Fiber  and  Gelatine  ,   .    .    220 

Transparent    Leather. 

Patent  Process — Ingredients  employed  and  Methods  for  Introducing    .   .    221 

Light  Grey  Color  for  Dyeing  Kid. 

One  of  the  Most  Difficult  Tasks — Preparation  by  a  Well-known  Chemist, 
and  Highly  Recommended — Recipe  and  Number  of  Coats  Required  .    221 

New  Substitute  for  Leather. 

Process  for  Making  Artificial  Leather  from  Red  Beechwood — From  Fifty 
to  Sixty-year-old  Trees — How  Treated — Claimed  to  be  Superior  to  Ani- 
mal Leather 221 

Glucose  in  Leather. 

The  Falsification  of  Weight  of  Leather  by  Adding  Glucose  or  Grape 
Sugar — A  Simple  Test  is  Recommended — Samples  of  Sole  Leather  said 
to  Contain  from  Thirty  to  Forty  Per  Cent  of  Extra  Weight 222 


CONTENTS. 


Softening  IvEather. 
Castor  and  Neatsfoot  Oil— Moisture— Leather  First  Prepared  by  a  Thor- 
ough Wetting— Much  Less  Oil  Required— Water  as  a  Repellant  ...    223 
Unprepared  Indian  Hides. 
AmericanTanners  Use  Large  Numbers  of  Indian  Hides— Average  Weight 
—Artificially  Increasing  the  Weight  by  Smearing  Them  With  Sev- 
eral Coats  of  "  Chenam  "— Is  Universal  in  India— Increases  the  Price 
bome  Forty  Per  Cent 

Another  Method  of  Tanning. 

A  Process  of  Tanning  With  Soap  and  Carbolic  Acid  by  an  Australian  In- 
ventor— Recipe 

Tanning  With  Offal. 

Pyrofuxin,  one  of  the  Many  Elements  Found  in  Mineral  Coal— It  Ran- 
idly  Unites  With  the  Tissues  and  is  Retained 224 

It  Takes  Twenty-eight  Times  as  Long  to  Tan  With  Bark  as  With  Pvro- 
luxin— Result  of  Experiments  Made _        225 

Leather  Cannon. 
A  Bit  of  History— Leather  Cannon  Been  Tried  on  the  Battlefield  and 
rurnedtheTidecfOneofthe  Greatest  Battles  in  Modern  Times— The 
Inventor 

How  Constructed— Battlefield  of  Leipsi'c— Easily  Transported  '.  '.   "    '.   '    226 
Western  Hemlock. 

Was  Formerly  Considered  of  Little  Value— As  the  Pine  Diminishes    the 
Hemlock   Finds  Favor— Twenty  Million  Feet    Cut  Annually  in'  one 
County  in  Wisconsm— Eastern  Hemlock  Equal  to  White  Pine  ....    227 
Discovery  of  a  Tannery  Four  Hundred  Years  Old. 

At  Hamburg,  Germany,  When  Excavating  for  Building  Purposes    a  Few 
Years  Ago,  Brought  to  Light  a  Tannery  Supposed  to  be  Four  Hundred 
Years  Old,  m  Which  Were  a  Number  of  Hides  That  Have  Been  There 
It  is  Estimated,  150  Years— They  Were  Bought  by  a  Berlin  Firm— Well 

Preserved 

227 

Frozen  Leather. 
A  Plausible  Theory  by  V.  Eitner,  a  Vienna  Scientist,  on  the  Effects  of 
Freezing  Leather— Frozen  and  Thawed  Apples— The  Writer's  Experi- 
ence in  an  Eastern  Tannery— Loss  of  Weight  228 
Freezing  Beneficial  to  Some  Kinds  of  Leather— Improves  the  Complexion 

and  Kills  the  Horn  .    .  

,    .    229 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Valuable  Recipes. 
Grain  Leather  Dressing— Imitation  Goat  and  Glove  Black— Boot  Grain 

and  Harness  Black— Scar  Paste— Boot  Top  Licuid  2?r 

Black  Varnish— To  Prevent  Deposits  of  Lime  in  Boilers— Ink  for  Mark 

mg  Packages— Liquid  Shoe  Blacking— Currier's  Soft  Soap  ,^2 

Harness  Blacking— India  Rubber  Liquid  Blacking— India  Rubber  Water- 

proof  Composition  for  Boots  and  Shoes  .    . 
To  Clean  Buff-colored  Leather— For  Softening  Leather— Varnish  for  Boots 

and  Shoes— For  Calf  Kid  and  Patent  Leather 
Cl^n^ng  Morocco  Leather-Tawing  Skins-To  Prepare  Sheepskins  "for 

234 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

Varnish  for  Tools— To  Dye  Leather  Blue,  Red  or  Purple— To  Tan  a  Hide 

with  the  Hair  On 235 

Oil  Adulterations— To  Glue  Leather  to  Iron— Glycerine  Leather  Polish  .    236 
Water-proof  Composition  for  Leather— To  Render  Glue  Insoluble — Black 

Lacquer  for  Shoes  and  Leather — Leather  Belts 237 

Water-proof  Oil  Blacking — Leather  Cements 238 

Boot  and  Shoe  Soles  Finish — Tanning  Furs 239 

Flour  Paste — Gum  tragacauth , t   .   .   .    240 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Tanners'  Hide  Trim 3 

Hide  Wash  Wheel 4 

Lime  Reel 5 

Bate  and  Coloiing  Wheels g 

Kenosha  Bark  Crusher 17 

LaCrosse  Bark  Shaving  Mill 18 

Belt  Knife  Splitting  Machine 21 

Union  Splitting  Machine  and  Friction  Gear 22 

Stuffing  Wheel 25 

Buffalo  Liquor  Pump 28 

Square  Liquor  Logs 30 

Pebbling  Jack 33 

Staking  and  Perching  Machine 34 

Ground  Plan  of  Tannery 48 

Key  for  Pinning  the  Hides 89 

Bark  Mills 104 

Grubs  or  Warbles     .   , 164 


Leather  Manufacture. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  manufacture  of  oil  grain  has  become  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant industries  in  the  leather  manufacture,  particularly  in  the 
"West,  and  some  of  the  largest  tanners  make  a  specialty  of  this  class 
of  stock.  It  has  largely  displaced  the  use  of  wax  upper,  kips  and 
calfskins.  It  is  practically  a  waterproof  leather,  but  at  the  same 
time  is  very  tough,  pliable  and  durable.  The  hides  intended  for 
its  manufacture  are  classed  as  heavy  cows,  running  from  50  to  60 
pounds,  and  are  more  spready  than  those  employed  for  harness 
leather.  A  desirable  pattern  may  be  had  from  extreme  light  hides 
of  25  to  40  pounds,  or  still  better,  of  from  30  to  50  pounds.  The 
former  is  composed  principally  of  young  heifers,  bulls  and  steers, 
which  will  yield  some  31  feet  of  leather  per  hide  and  from  5^  to  6 
pounds  of  rough  splits.  The  latter  weight  of  hides  will  show  a 
larger  percentage  of  heifers  and  cows,  with  a  fair  sprinkling  of 
steers,  but  of  a  more  spready  nature. 

It  is  not  good  economy  for  the  tanner  to  work  extremely  light 
hides  for  this  class  of  work,  as  the  cost  of  labor  per  hide  is  about 
the  same  as  those  of  greater  average  weight  and  measure.  No 
more  pit  room  will  be  required  to  work  hides  of  50  to  60  pounds 
where  suspended  on  sticks  than  it  takes  for  hides  of  30  to  32 
pounds  average,  as  made  from  weights  ranging  from  25  to  40 
pounds.  Heavy  cows  will  yield  a  greater  percentage  of  measure 
per  pound  than  those  of  a  steery  nature.  Besides,  the  splits  from 
spready  cows  are  far  more  desirable  for  flesh  finish,  being  finer  in 
the  flanks  and  of  that  larger  pattern  so  desirable  with  shoe  manu- 
facturers in  the  cutting. 

SOAKING   AND    LIMING. 

Given  a  basis  of  fifty  heavy  hides,  or  100  sides,  per  pack.  These 
I  will  practically  carry  through  the  beam-house,  tannery,  splitting 
and  finishing  departments.  The  dimensions  of  tannery  pits  for 
this  number  should  be  8  feet  long,  5^/^  to  6  feet  wide  and  5  feet 
deep.  Those  having  the  old  style  of  pits  of  smaller  dimensions  can 
adapt  themselves  to  the  circumstances  by  dividing  the  number  to 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


conform  to  tlie  smaller  capacity  of  the  pits,  giving  ample  room  in 
the  hanging. 

Care  should  be  taken  when  putting  in  the  daily  packs  in  beam- 
house  to  secure  as  near  as  possible  a  uniform  run  in  weight  of 
hides  per  pack,  as  the  lime  and  chicken  manure  is  weighed  and 
measured  out  according  to  the  number  of  hides  in  place  of  the  num- 
ber of  pounds  per  pack.  In  some  of  the  large  tanneries  each  pack 
of  hides  is  weighed  without  regard  to  numbers,  and  consequently 
packs  vary  by  several  hides  when  taken  promiscuously  from  the 
hide-house.  But  it  is  better  to  carry  along  packs  of  the  same  num- 
ber daily  through  the  works,  as  it  will  enable  the  superintendent 
to  keep  tally  of  the  hides  and  leather  while  they  journey  through 
the  works  or  in  taking  stock  of  them. 

First  proceed  to  trim  oif  all  superfluous  parts  and  throw  them 
into  the  glue  pile.  These  parts  consist  of  the  pates,  fore  and  hind 
shanks,  teats,  tail  and  any  unsightly  portion  which  will  not  finish 
and  make  desirable  leather.  Too  much  care  cannot  be  given  to 
this  branch  of  work  at  the  outset ;  it  is  but  a  waste  of  bark  and  la- 
bor in  tanning  glue  stock  only  to  cut  it  off  when  the  leather  reaches 
the  splitting  and  finishing  room,  where  those  unsightly  pieces  have 
but  a  nominal  value.  If  the  glue  stock,  so  taken  off",  cannot  be 
readily  placed  with  the  glue  manufacturers  it  should  be  limed,  to 
preserve  it  until  such  time  as  shipments  can  be  made.  (See  cut  on 
opposite  page.) 

Take  ten  hides,  throw  them  into  the  wash-wheel,  as  per  diagram 
page  ID,  and  run  the  same  for  twenty  minutes  with  a  good  flow  of 
water  through  an  inch  pipe  which  is  conveyed  through  the  axle  of 
the  wheel.  The  supply  may  be  regulated  by  a  valve  within  reach 
of  the  operator.  In  case  water  cannot  be  obtained  from  a  hydrant, 
place  a  large  tank  over,  or  at  a  sufiicient  height  above  the  wheel, 
and  by  force  pump  fill  it  from  lake,  river,  or  well.  If  at  the  expi- 
ration of  twenty  minutes  the  salt,  dirt  and  blood  is  not  thoroughly 
removed,  then  continue  the  process  unt^'l  the  waste  water,  which  is 
expelled  through  the  numerous  openings  in  the  circumference  of 
the  wheel,  is  practically  clean.  Then  stop  the  wheel  and  take  out 
the  hides,  spreading  them,  with  the  hair  uppermost,  on  the  floor. 
Then  split  them  through  the  back  strip,  being  careful  to  carry  a 
steady  hand  and  to  have  a  smooth,  keen  edge  to  the  splitting  knife. 
Throw  the  sides  into  a  vat,  or  pool  (after  splitting),  of  clear,  cool 
water  and  let  them  remain  for  two  days,  where  cold  lake  or  well 
water  is  used. 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIIv  GRAINS. 


Xanners*  Xrim. 


Take  oflf  lower  jaw  and  upper  lip  behind  the  nos- 
trils. 

The  pate  betw^een  the  eyes. 

The  horns  and  ears. 

The  cheek  when  throat  is  cut  across. 

The  fore  legs  at  the  knee. 

The  hind  legs  midway  between  knee  and  dewclaws, 
or  higher  up  when  cut  across. 

All  tags  caused  by  unskilled  skinning.  CSee  dotted 
lines.) 

The  points  marked  "  a  "  should  appear  at  "b"  if 
properly  skinned. 

This  cu'.  is  intended  to  show  the  proper  trim  of  a 
hide,  and  was  adopted  by  the  Tanners'  Convention 
at  Boston  as  the  "  Tanners'  Trim." 

The  dotted  lines  indicate  the  portion  which  should 
be  cut  oflf  as  are  not  worth  tanning,  but  has  a  value 
as  glue  stock. 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


FLESHING. 

The  beam  hands,  or  beamsters,  so  called,  may  then  commence 
the  fleshing  operation,  which  is  one  of  the  most  important  pro- 
cesses in  the  early  stages.  The  beamster  should  not  be  allowed  to 
use  the  sharp,  or  cutting  edge  of  the  flesher  on  the  body  of  the 
hide  except  at,  or  near,  the  tail,  flanks,  or  head  portion,  where  fre- 
quently an  excess  of  tallow  and  meat  is  left  on  in  the  skinning. 
The  innumerable  small  nerves  on  the  body  of  the  hide  should  be 
thoroughly  broken,  if  not  removed.  This  can  only  be  accom- 
plished by  vigorous  strokes  of  the  smooth  edge  of  concave  knife. 


WASH   WHEEL. 

Such  action  is  highly  important,  for  should  these  nerves  not  be 
broken  at  this  stage,  the  hide  will  ever  after  present  a  contracted, 
baggy  appearance,  and  besides,  it  will  be  found  difficult  to  force  the 
tannic  acid  to  the  cells  from  the  flesh  side.  When  the  nerves  are 
fully  broken  the  hide  becomes  relaxed  and  has  a  more  supple, 
flaccid  feel  and  appearance,  and  will  readily  adapt  itself  to  all  the 
subsequent  manipulations  in  the  tannery  and  finishing  room.  After 
the  hides  are  fleshed  they  should  be  again  put  into  the  wash-wheel 
and  run  for  a  few  moments  until  the  remaining  blood  and  dirt  ex- 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS. 


posed  through  the  process  of  fleshing  are  completely  removed. 
The  beamsters,  when  fleshing,  should  be  instructed  to  cut  a  slit 
near  the  head  and  tail,  one  and  a  half  inches  long,  for  the  purpose 
of  pinning  the  hides  together  before  going  into  the  lime.  Each 
beam  hand  should  also  have  his  number  or  initial  to  stamp  on  the 
lower  butt  portion,  in  order  to  identify  him  should  any  question 
arise  as  to  poor  workmanship  in  the  fleshing  and  fine-hairing.  The 
purchase  number  of  each  lot  of  hides  should  also  be  stamped  near 
the  tail  of  the  hide.  This  will  be  found  very  desirable  in  furnish- 
ing proof  of  the  quality,  condition,  and  yield  of  each  and  every  lot 


LIME  REEL. 


purchased.  It  is  done  by  the  man  of  all  work  in  the  beam-house, 
at  a  time  when  the  hides  first  come  from  the  wash-wheel  for  split- 
ting. If  B  and  No.  2  hides  are  purchased,  B  and  C  may  be 
stamped  in  connection  with  the  number  of  lot. 

LIMING. 

The  hides  after  being  fleshed  and  washed  in  the  wheel  are  then 
piled  down  near  the  lime  pit,  and  are  doubled  in  the  center  with 
the  hair  out.       Wooden   pins,  or   keys,  some  three  inches  long, 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


three-fourths  of  an  inch  wide,  and  three-fourths  of  an  inch  thick, 
are  used  for  connecting  the  hides  together.  In  the  center  of  each 
key  a  mortise  or  slot  one-half  inch  long,  and  about  the  same  in 
depth  is  cut,  and  both  ends  of  the  key  are  tapered  off.  "When 
ready  to  go  into  the  lime  pit,  pull  the  cut  slip  from  the  head  of  No. 
I  through  the  butt  of  No.  2,  and  insert  the  key.  Continue  the  same 
method  until  the  entire  pack  is  keyed  together,  and  throw  each 
into  the  pit  when  connected.  The  first  and  last  hide  going  in 
should  have  a  float,  a  piece  of  wood,  tied  firmly,  so  that  the  opera- 
tor, when  reeling  over  from  one  lime  to  another,  will  readily  dis- 
cover the  top  hide  and  pass  the  float  attachment  over  the  reel, 
when,  with  little  labor,  the  entire  pack  may  be  changed  in  a  few 
moments.  There  should  be  one  man  to  turn  the  reel,  and  another, 
with  pole  in  hand,  to  evenly  distribute  the  hides  in  the  pit.  (See 
cut  of  reel.)  The  packs  should  be  changed  daily,  the  top  hide  of 
today,  for  instance,  should  be  the  bottom  hide  of  tomorrow,  and 
this  rotation  should  be  maintained  during  the  liming  process. 

When  working  extreme  light  hides,  averaging  thirty  to  thirty- 
two  pounds  each,  100  pounds  of  stone  lime  will  be  required  to  carry 
the  pack  of  fifty  hides,  or  100  sides,  through  the  liming  process, 
take  ofl"  the  hair  and  sufficiently  swell  and  remove  the  required 
amount  of  gelatine  in  order  to  produce  supple,  pliable  and  plump 
leather.  Where  heavy  cows  are  used  it  will  not  require  a  corre- 
sponding amount  of  lime  per  pound  of  hide  as  this  class  of  hides  is 
of  more  open  texture  and  more  readily  penetrated  by  the  caustic 
lime.  To  be  on  the  safe  side  it  is  well  to  commence  on  the  basis 
of  six  pounds  of  stone  lime  to  every  100  pounds  of  trimmed,  green- 
cured  hides.  When  making  a  new  lime  liquor  a  greater  number 
of  pounds  of  lime  will  be  required,  say  fully  one-third  more.  In 
this  the  foreman  should  be  the  best  judge,  not  only  as  to  quantity, 
but  also  to  the  quality  of  lime  used,  which  varies  considerably  in 
different  sections  of  the  country.  It  should  not  be  allowed  to  be- 
come air-slacked,  as  then  much  of  its  properties  pass  away  through 
exposure.  Be  sure  to  avoid  too  high  liming ;  it  is  far  better  that 
the  hair  should  require  some  exertion  in  the  removal  than  to  slip 
too  easily,  even  though  the  beamsters  complain  of  having  to  use 
more  elbow  power  in  unhairing.  The  capacity  of  the  lime  pits 
should  be  about  the  same  as  the  liquor  pits,  with  conveyors  at  bot- 
tom to  pass  off,  when  needed,  all  impurities  to  the  sewer  or  river. 
Limes  should  be  cleaned  frequently,  as  the  daily  introduction  of 
green  hides  will  eventually  turn  the  lime  into  a  soak,  absorbing 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS. 


the  large  amount  of  blood,  ammonia,  etc.,  whicli  work  out  of  the 
hides  when  they  are  in  the  reduced  condition  in  which  they  enter 
the  lime  pits.  The  lime  should  be  thoroughly  slacked  and  reduced 
before  going  into  the  pit,  by  moistening  with  warm  water,  if  con- 
venient. All  sediment  should  be  retained  in  the  tub  and  thrown 
on  the  manure  heap.  Six  to  seven  days  will  be  ample  time  to 
plump  the  hides  and  remove  the  hair.  Commence  first  in  pit  No. 
I,  which  should  be  designated  as  the  "  dead  "  pit,  and  No.  6  or  7 
the  ' '  live  ' '  pits,  which  should  be  the  strongest  yet.  T-ere  must 
be  a  gradual  up  grade  from  No.  i  to  Nos.  6  and  7,  and  the  amount 
of  lime  thus  slacked  for  the  daily  pack  should  be  put  into  the  pits 
as  the  hides  are  changed  from  one  pit  to  another. 

It  is  not  as  important  that  hides  should  go  into  as  correspond- 
ingly weak  solution  of  lime  in  the  first  process  as  when  they  go 
into  the  liquor  pits.  Still  it  is  better  not  to  commence  with  too 
strong  limes  in  the  first  immersion,  but  in  every  change  made  in 
reeling  from  one  lime  pit  to  another,  the  lime  liquor  should  be  fur- 
ther strengthened  until  reaching  the  head  or  ' '  live ' '  pit,  and 
it  should  be  of  sufficient  strength  to  complete  the  work  in  hand. 
Openings  in  the  pits  at  top  center  will  be  necessary  so  that  in  reel- 
ing over  from  one  to  another  the  flow  of  liquor  may  equalize  itself. 
Pit  No,  I  need  not,  consequently,  be  strengthened,  as  the  flow 
backwards  from  the  stronger  limes  will  be  ample  for  all  practical 
purposes. 

UNHAIRING. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  time  stated,  reel  the  oldest  pack  of 
hides  on  top  of  the  preceding  pit,  remove  the  keys  and  then  throw 
the  hides  into  a  hot  water  bath  prepared  for  them,  which  may  in- 
dicate a  temperature  of  from  100  to  no  degrees,  and  then  unhair 
after  they  have  been  allowed  to  lie  for  two  or  three  hours.  This 
bath  will  tend  to  further  swell  the  hides,  and  cause  the  hair  to  slip 
ofi"  more  readily,  and  at  the  same  time  will  remove  from  the  pores 
and  cells  the  caustic  lime  which  would  necessarily  have  to  be 
neutralized  later  on  in  the  bate  wheel.  The  unhairing  should  be 
done  by  a  smooth,  stunt  edged  knife  so  that  the  grain  may  not  be 
marred,  as  any  imperfections  at  this  stage  will  show  up  quite 
prominently  after  being  tanned.  The  hair  and  epidermis  must  not 
only  be  removed  but  a  good  hard  working  of  the  grain  should  fol- 
low. This  will  remove  in  a  great  measure  the  lime  and  filth,  and 
save  time  and  expense  in  the  bating  process.  After  unhairing,  the 
hides  must  be  again  thrown  into  the  wash-wheel  where  they  should 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


run  with  a  liberal  supply  of  water  for  ten  minutes  to  remove  ad- 
hering hair,  lime  and  dirt  before  going  into  the  bate. 

BATING. 

Much  depends  on  the  condition  of  the  hides,  the  water,  and  the 
weather  as  to  the  required  time  to  deplete  the  hide,  neutralize  the 
remaining  particles  of  lime  and  leave  it  in  good  condition  to  enter 
the  tanner}^  In  making  a  new  bate  from  clear  water,  nearly  double 
the  amount  of  chicken  manure  will  be  required,  but  when,  once 
fully  ripe,  three  bushels  of  chicken  manure,  previously  soaked  in  a 
barrel  of  warm  water  and  fermented,  will  be  found  sufficient  to  de- 
plete a  pack  of  loo  sides  of  extreme  light  hides.  But  good  judg- 
ment will  be  required  in  this  particular  branch  of  the  work.  There 
will  be  noticeable  a  great  difference  in  manure  as  gathered  from 
poultry  raisers.  If  it  contains  a  fair  percentage  of  dove  manure  it 
will  be  found  to  be  of  greater  strength.  Again,  chicken  manure 
gathered  during  the  winter  months  does  not  dry  when  dropped  as 
it  does  in  summer,  but  freezes  and  thaws,  and  thereby  loses  a  good 
proportion  of  its  ammonia  properties  which  is  so  important  an  agent 
in  reducing  the  hide  and  fitting  it  to  readily  unite  the  gelatine  with 
the  tannic  acid. 

The  greatest  enemies  the  tanner  has  to  contend  with  are  lime 
and  tannic  acid.  Numerous  inventions  have  been  put  on  the 
market  as  a  substitute  for  chicken  manure,  so  generally  used 
since  the  days  of  the  Biblical  Simon,  some  of  which  will  without 
doubt,  be  as  generally  adopted  in  the  near  future,  as  the  more  in- 
telligent and  enterprising  tanners  of  the  present  are  employing 
every  means  known  to  science  and  chemistry  to  do  away  with  old 
time  methods  and  make  the  tannery  a  sweeter  smelling  institution 
than  has  characterized  it  in  the  past. 

The  bate- wheel  after  the  complement  of  manure  has  been  put  in, 
should  be  heated  to  a  temperature  of  from  eighty  to  ninety  degrees. 
The  hides  after  coming  from  the  wash-wheel  are  then  thrown  into 
the  revolving  wheel  and  run  continuously  during  the  day,  or  until 
such  time  when  every  trace  of  lime  is  neutralized  and  the  hides  re- 
duced from  their  former  rigid  condition  to  one  of  mellowness,  giving 
to  the  grain  a  fine  silky  feeling.  By  drawing  the  thumb  and  fore- 
finger across  the  body  portion  the  condition  may  be  readily  ascer- 
tained, or  it  may  also  be  discovered  when  the  indentation  of  the 
finger  nails  can  be  plainly  traced  on  the  mellow  grain.  No  given 
time  can  be  stated  for  properly  bating  the  hides.  This  must  be  left 
to  the  judgment  of  the  operator  or  foreman. 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS. 


Care  should  be  given  that  the  bating  may  not  be  carried  beyond 
a  certain  stage,  for  in  a  few  moments'  time  after  the  hides  are  thor- 
oughly depleted  putrefaction  sets  in,  first  showing  on  the  flesh  side 
which  will  commence  to  peel  off  by  a  gentle  touch  of  the  fingers. 
Following  immediately  after,  the  grain  becomes  pitted  with  what  are 
well  known  to  the  trade  as  "bate  pricks, "  easily  discernible,  though 
no  larger  than  pin-heads,  but  which  effectually  destroy  the  hide 
for  grain  leather  purposes.  No  time  must  be  lost  in  forwarding 
them  to  the  bark  liquors  to  prevent  further  decay. 
WORKING  OUT   THE    BATE. 

The  hides  are  taken  from  the  bate-wheel,  as  needed  for  working, 
and  thrown  into  barrels  of  warm  water,  placed  between  the  beam- 
sters,  from  which  they  are  placed  upon  the  beam,  grain  up,  when 
a  thorough  working  is  given,  removing  all  remaining  hairs  from 


BATE   WHEELS. 

body  and  edges,  and  forcing,  through  vigorous  applications  of  the 
knife,  the  lime  and  filth  from  the  pores  and  cells.  The  knife  for 
this  work  should  not  be  too  stunt,  nor  sharp  enough  to  injure  the 
grain,  but  in  a  condition  to  hug  the  grain  in  a  manner  to  entirely 
free  it  from  all  foreign  matter. 

One  important  feature  has  been  overlooked  in  the  liming  process, 
that  of  steaming  up  the  lime  pits  in  a  similar  manner  to  that  of  the 
bates.  Extreme  heat  should,  under  no  consideration,  be  applied  to 
the  lime  liquors.     The  temperature  should  not  exceed  seventj^  de- 


10  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

grees  in  winter,  and  no  steam  whatever  should  be  applied  during 
the  summer  months.  Hides  will  swell  and  plump  up  more  effect- 
ually in  cold  liquors  than  in  warm,  and  numerous  cases,  supposed 
to  be  caused  by  animal  disease,  of  pimples  on  grain  and  flesh,  and, 
not  infrequently,  white  spots  intermixed  with  the  solid  gelatine, 
may  be  traced  to  the  evil  of  steaming  up  the  limes.  Natural  heat 
is  all  that  is  required  to  lime  the  hide  properly,  except  in  cold 
weather  where  water  is  pumped  from  lake  or  river  when  a  higher 
temperature  is  required  to  facilitate  the  work,  but  excessive  heat  is 
not  only  impracticable,  but  injurious  to  the  hides. 

The  pack  of  hides  having  been  fine-haired,  or,  what  is  more  famil- 
iarly termed  among  Bastern  tanners  as  having  been  ' '  worked  out 
of  the  bate,"  and  "drenched,"  instead  of  "bating,"  as  Western 
tanners  apply  it,  are  then  given  their  final  washing  in  the  wheel, 
when  a  bountiful  supply  of  clear,  cold  water  is  run  in.  The  wheel 
is  put  in  motion  for  ten  minutes,  and  the  hides,  during  that  period 
will  plump  up  considerably  from  the  cold  bath  and  are  then  in  ex- 
cellent condition  to  go  into  the  coloring  wheel. 


CHAPTER  II. 

COIvORING  OR  SETTING  THE  GRAIN. 

The  pack  of  hides  is  then  taken  to  the  coloring  wheel,  similar  to 
the  bate-wheel  in  construction,  which  is  supposed  to  be  in  close 
proximity  to  the  beam-house.  Their  first  immersion  in  this  wheel 
will  slightly  contract  the  grain  or  cuticle  and  remove  the  former 
silky  feeling  as  when  coming  from  the  bate.  This  wheel,  like  the 
bate- wheel,  has  a  cylindrical  bottom,  allowing  a  continuous  revo- 
lution of  the  hides  through  the  force  of  the  wheel  buckets,  which 
are  submerged  to  the  depth  of  some  twelve  inches,  and  making 
fifteen  revolutions  per  minute,  or  j  ust  sufficient  to  maintain  a  con- 
tinuous current  from  bottom  to  the  top.  Liquor  for  this  work 
should  not  indicate  over  five  degrees  density,  barkometer  test,  or  a 
third  run  liquor  from,  the  leaches,  but  should  be  sweet  and  pure. 
In  this  liquor  allow  the  wheel  to  revolve  not  to  exceed  ten  minutes 
when  the  pack  should  be  taken  out  and  connected  with  the  sticks 
for  suspending  in  the  pit. 

It  has  been  the  custom  of  many  tanners  using  the  England  hand- 
ling wheels,  to  run  the  packs  in  them  for  hours  at  a  time  in  a  weak 
and  often  sour,  ropy  liquor.  Consequently  many  have  practically 
abolished  their  use,  having  become  convinced  there  was  great  wear 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIIv  GRAINS.  11 


and  tear  on  the  coarse  flanks  and  loose  portions  of  the  hides,  and 
later  on  it  was  found  to  be  an  impossibility  to  produce  the  desired 
full,  plump  flanks,  so  important  in  the  manufacture  of  oil  grain, 
buff"  and  glove  leather.  A  clear,  pure  liquor  is  very  essential  in 
the  first  stages  •  it  should  be  cool  and  be  run  directly  from  the 
leaches. 

First  impressions  are  more  lasting,  whether  in  making  the  ac- 
quaintance of  a  blushing  young  lady  or  in  making  leather,  the  lat- 
ter, in  fact,  should  receive  the  same  delicate  hue  or  bloom  as  on 
the  maiden's  cheeks.  Where  weak  and  impure  liquors  are  used 
the  grain  is  of  a  dull,  brownish  color,  streaked  and  unsightly,  and 
all  the  after  manipulations  will  fail  to  eradicate  those  eye-sores  that 
mar  the  complexion  of  your  leather. 

Where  ample  room  may  be  had  in  the  pits  for  suspending,  the 
coloring  in  wheel  may  be  dispensed  with,  but  in  warm  weather  it 
is  safer  to  use  the  wheel  for  a  few  moments  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
serving the  cuticle  and  flesh  until  the  hides  are  fairly  plump  in  the 
liquors.  This  is  done  in  order  to  prevent  any  injury  to  grain  or 
flesh,  particularly  those  portions  coming  in  contact  with  the  sticks 
to  which  they  are  secured. 

SUSPENDING. 

For  this  work  pine  or  ash  sticks  three  inches  wide,  one-half  an 
inch  thick  and  within  one-half  inch  of  the  length  of  the  pits  are 
used.  Bearings,  two  inches  thick  and  four  inches  wide  are  strongly 
spiked  at  each  end  of  pits  and  six  inches  below  the  top,  thereby  al- 
lowing a  sufiicient  amount  of  liquor  to  cover  the  sticks  and  backs 
of  hides  during  the  feeding  process.  The  pack  of  hides,  as  taken 
from  the  handling  wheel,  are  placed  with  the  grain  side  up,  and 
backs  to  the  front,  on  a  table  near  to  the  pit  in  which  they  are  about 
to  enter.  The  sticks  are  prepared  in  the  following  manner,  which 
will  be  found  quite  handy  in  connecting  and  disconnecting  the 
sides  without  the  use  of  nails,  thereby  preventing  abrasions  or  im- 
perfections on  the  grain  side  when  changing  from  one  pit  to  an- 
other. To  make  connections,  take  small  brass  screws  of  the  size 
of  common  wire  and  about  two  inches  long,  with  a  gimlet  thread 
attachment,  and  put  the  screw  in  the  bottom  center  of  the  stick 
atashghtangle,  so  that  the  hook  portion  may  project  near  the 
outer  edge  of  stick  and  about  one  inch  below.  On  each  end  of  the 
sticks,  in  the  center,  bore  a  small  hole  and  connect  them  by  a  stout 
cord  leaving  the  ends  to  project  some  twelve  inches,  or  at  least  to  a 
sufficient  length  to  connect  with  the  side  so  as  to  tighten  the  same 


12'  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

after  it  lias  been  fastened  to  the  brass  screw  in  center.  The  first 
connection  is  made  on  the  center  screw,  the  operator  having  a  small 
hand  spring  punch  with  which  he  punches  the  hole,  about  one- 
eighth  of  an  inch  from  the  back  center  strip.  The  stick  is  then 
placed  on  the  back  strip  and  the  side  connected  to  the  brass  hook. 
The  slits,  cut  at  each  end  of  the  hides  by  the  beamsters  for  the  pur- 
pose of  pinning  them  together  for  reeling  in  the  limes,  come  into 
good  use  for  the  suspending.  The  cords  at  each  end  of  stick  are 
put  through  the  slits  and  drawn  not  too  tightly,  but  slightly,  and 
are  secured  by  a  single  bow-knot.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to 
tighten  the  cords  too  firmly,  for  the  hides  when  in  progress  of  tan- 
ning will  naturally  contract,  and  should  the  cords  be  strained  un- 
naturally the  backs  of  the  hides  will  curl  so  closely  that  the  tannic 
acid  will  fail  to  penetrate  them,  as  it  does  the  more  exposed  por- 
tions ;  and  when  taken  to  the  splitting  room  streaks  of  green  hide 
will  be  noticeable  and  frequently  the  flesh  in  such  cases  perishes 
for  want  of  nourishment. 

For  this  reason  I  recommend  the  handling  in  wheels  before  the 
hides  are  put  into  the  pits.  One  man,  after  he  has  become  familar 
with  work,  can,  in  thirty  minutes'  time  connect  the  pack  of  hides 
to  the  sticks  and  place  them  in  regular  order  in  the  pit,  and  once  in 
the  labor  is  trifling  during  the  journey  through  the  tannery.  The 
same  man  can  easily  perform  all  the  work  in  the  tannery,  including 
the  changing  of  liquors  and  packs,  the  taking  ofl"  the  leather  from 
the  sticks  wherein  one  hundred  sides,  or  one  pack  of  hides  go  in 
daily,  and  the  number  going  out  to  split. 

ARRANGEMENTS    OF  PITS. 

When  it  is  convenient,  or  when  the  tannery  is  in  close  proximity 
to  the  beam-house  and  handling  wheel,  it  will  be  more  practicable 
to  commence  putting  in  the  packs,  as  for  instance,  in  pit  No.  i,  so 
designated,  and  carrying  them  along  daily  so  that  the  first  pack 
coming  in  from  the  beam-house  may  go  into  the  same  pit  as  the 
pack  taken  out  for  splitting  at  the  other  end  of  tannery.  As  no 
two  tanneries  are  alike,  in  location  of  pits  or  numbers,  no  definite 
plan  can  be  mapped  out  for  the  changing  or  carrying  forward  of  the 
packs,  still,  I  would  advise  a  daily  change  of  packs  until  they  have 
been  in  at  least  fifteen  days,  and  I  should  give  them  entirely  new 
and  sweet  liquors  daily,  increasing  the  strength  as  changes  occur. 
Never  under  any  circumstances  allow  the  hides  to  ' '  fall  away  ' '  for 
want  of  sufficient  nourishment,  as  hides,  like  children,  must  be  fed 
often,  and  as  they  grow  in  strength  and  age  require  more  nutritious 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS.  13 

food.  There  is,  however,  as  much  danger  in  overfeeding,  as  in 
starving.  Should  liquors  of  too  great  strength  be  used  in  the  first 
stages,  the  pores  of  the  hide  become  clogged,  producing  tinny  and 
crusty  leather,  and,  in  a  great  measure,  the  inner  or  more  gelatin- 
ous portions  are  prevented  from  receiving  the  proper  supply  of 
tannic  acid,  and  this  causes,  more  particularl}^  when  the  liquors  are 
warm  and  of  too  great  density,  what  is  known  as  ' '  Black  Rot. ' ' 
The  safer  way  is  to  introduce  weaker  liquors,  during  the  first 
stages  of  a  temperature  not  above  60°,  and  frequent  changes  should 
be  made.  After  the  hides  are  well  "  struck,"  or  when  a  good  per- 
centage of  the  gelatine  is  united  wdth  the  tannin,  then  heavier 
liquors,  which  wall  give  the  pores  and  cells  the  needed  filling,  may 
be  safely  introduced. 

For  upper  leather  purposes,  liquors  of  no  greater  strength  or  den- 
sity than  12°  need  be  used,  such  for  example,  as  are  taken  from  a 
first  run  from  a  fresh  ground  leach  of  bark  by  the  ordinary  method 
of  leaching.  I  am  aware  that  many  tanners  use  liquors  in  the 
handlers  and  lay-a-ways  of  20°  and  upwards,  but  I  challenge  any 
such  to  produce  as  good,  tough,  and  serviceable  leather  as  in  cases 
where  pure  liquors  of  not  over  12°  are  used,  provided  that  these 
liquors  are  changed  frequently,  and  that  successive  courses  are 
stronger  than  the  preceding  ones.  Then  not  until  the  last  two 
weeks  of  the  immersion  of  the  hides  should  the  first  run  be  given, 
and  on  receiving  it  the  pack  may  be  allowed  a  rest  of  from  three  to 
four  days  without  changing,  thereby  giving  the  hides  a  little  res- 
pite to  ripen  up  in  their  quiet  retreat.  The  leather,  by  thus  rest- 
ing, will  also  plump  up  and  bleach  through  the  accumulation  of 
gallic  acid  resulting  from  the  decomposition  of  tannic  acid.  This 
result  may  be  more  effectually  accomplished  by  their  being  laid 
away  and  permitted  to  remain  for  weeks  and  months,  as  is  fre- 
quently done,  at  great  expense  of  the  tannic  acid,  but  such  a 
method  should  be  considered  impractical,  in  either  upper  or  sole 
leather,  in  this  closing  period  of  the  practical  Nineteenth  century. 

It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  as  good,  if  not  better  gains  have 
been  made  in  sole  leather  in  six  hours  liming,  and  three  months 
tanning,  through  frequent  change  of  liquors,  than  have  been  made 
by  two  weeks  liming  and  from  nine  months  to  one  year  or  more  in 
the  tanning,  by  the  old  method  of  laying  away.  The  cost  in  labor, 
from  the  frequent  handling,  will  be  greater,  every  tanner  will  ad- 
mit, but  when  the  lessened  amount  of  bark  by  scientific  grinding 
and  leaching  has  produced  a  sweet,  pure  liquor,  free  from  gallic 


14  LE^ATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

acid,  and  the  lessened  time  required  to  turn  the  stock  is  taken  into 
consideration,  the  gain  in  the  latter  method  will  more  than  offset 
the  extra  expense  in  frequent  handling.  The  two  processes  might 
be  compared  to  "  the  long  and  short  haul"  clause  in  railway  cir- 
cles, but  favoring  the  short  haul  or  quick-time  method.  I  would 
therefore  advise  tanners,  making  oil  grain  and  other  grades  of  fine 
shoe  stock,  which  the  writer  will  deal  with  in  future  chapters,  to 
handle  frequently  and  to  change  the  liquors  at  the  same  time,  until 
the  leather  is  well  ' '  struck. ' '  Then  consign  those  packs  to  the  re- 
lief corps,  or  to  a  reserved  portion  of  the  yard,  so  that  the  forth- 
coming packs  may  go  along  in  regular  order  until  they  reach  ma- 
turity, and  thereby  enable  the  others  to  obtain  a  quiet  rest  for  a  few 
days  to  ripen  up. 

time;  required. 

For  soaking,  liming  and  bating  we  give  about  eleven  daj^s  in  the 
beam-house,  including  the  labor,  milling,  etc.  In  the  tannery  not 
over  twenty-seven  daj^s  will  be  required  to  carry  the  hides  through 
to  completion,  with  possibly  a  slight  streak  of  hide  in  the  thick 
joles  of  plump  steers  or  cows.  The  sides,  after  splitting,  need  not 
be  returned  to  the  tannery,  but  the  splits  must  go  back  for  their 
final  filling,  to  give  them  additional  heft,  as  only  this  portion  is  sold 
by  weight. 

For  light,  spready  cows  the  time  will  materially  differ  in 
carrying  them  through  the  works,  as  many  of  the  extreme  light 
hides  are  far  more  plump  and  stock}^  than  spready  cows,  being 
largely  composed  of  young  steers  and  bulls,  having  thick  heads 
and  flanks,  while  in  straight  cow  selection  those  portions  are  very 
uniform  in  substance,  and  will  produce  a  greater  number  of  feet, 
in  proportion  to  the  weight,  than  steers  and  bulls.  It  is  a  mis- 
taken notion,  some  few  tanners  entertain,  that  extreme  light  hides 
will  produce  a  greater  percentage  of  finished  leather  than  those 
from  selected  cows.  Could  the  tanner  buj^  a  straight  selection  of 
young  heifers  from  the  extreme  light  hides,  as  also  the  light  cows, 
by  even  paying  one-half  cent  more  per  pound,  he  would  undoubtedly 
be  the  gainer,  as  this  class  of  hides  make  a  very  desirable  pattern  of 
leather  for  the  manufacturer  of  fine  shoes.  But,  as  was  before 
stated,  those  hides,  taken  as  they  run,  are  largely  composed  of 
young  steers  and  bulls,  and  not  unfrequently  the  bull  heads  are  cut 
off  by  dealers,  who  pass  them  off  on  the  unsuspecting  tanners  for 
steers.  Further,  the  small  steers  are  often  found  trimmed  on  the 
flank  portions,  near  the  hind  shank,  so  that  their  pedigree  may  not 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS.  15 

be  traced,  which  enables  the  dealers  to  sell  them  for  3- oung  heifers. 
Consequently,  I  repeat,  that  cow  hides  of  desirable  pattern  are  bet- 
ter adapted  for  this  class  of  work,  as  one  hide  will  not  occupy  more 
space  in  the  tannery,  stuffing  or  finishing  lofts,  than  a  small  heifer 
or  steer  hide.  It  costs  but  a  trifle  more  to  beam,  handle,  split, 
shave,  scour,  stuff,  set,  or  finish  a  side  of  straight  cow  stock  meas- 
uring 22  to  24  feet  per  side,  than  it  does  one  measuring  15  to  16  feet. 
Besides,  if  the  leather  be  tanned  properly,  by  suspending  as  recom- 
mended, the  flanks  will  compare  favorably  with  those  of  much 
smaller  proportions,  and  shoe  manufacturers  can  cut  their  patterns 
more  economical!}^  than  from  a  small  hide.  Though  it  may  appear 
strange,  it  is  nevertheless  true,  that  the  skinning  of  large  hides  is 
done  more  scientifically  than  that  of  the  small  ones,  and  the  former 
are  also  much  freer  from  barb- wire  scratches.  The  older  cattle 
having  learnt  wisdom,  shun  the  barb- wire  fence,  after  two  or  three 
sad  experiences  in  infancy,  and  give  it  a  wider  berth  than  do  the 
younger  cattle,  who  frequently  get  on  a  rampage  and  cover  them- 
selves, not  with  glory,  but  with  barb-wire  scratches,  from  horns 
to  tail. 

The  writer  has  had  ample  proof  of  this  in  the  working  of  each 
class  of  hides,  and  has  been  at  a  loss  at  times  to  know  where  to 
consign  those  defective  hides  in  the  endeavor  to  make  fine  grain 
leather. 

As  recommended,  the  pack  of  hides  should  be  changed  from 
pit  No.  I  the  day  following  that  wherein  was  prepared  a  cool 
liquor  of  from  three  to  four  degrees,  barkometer  test,  and  should  be 
carried  over  into  No.  2,  wherein  a  fresh  liquor  has  been  run  from 
the  leaches,  of  slightly  increased  strength.  This  method  should  be 
continued  daily,  keeping  continually  in  view  the  fact,  that  as  the 
tanning  progresses,  the  strength  of  the  liquor  should  also  in- 
crease until  about  the  fifteenth  day,  when  liquors  of  ten  degrees  can 
be  used  with  safety  and  without  fear  of  the  leather  ' '  falling  away ' ' 
for  want  of  sufiicient  nourishment. 

The  changes  of  packs  can  be  done  by  one  man  as  follows:  Place 
a  wide  plank  the  length  of  the  pit,  resting  on  each  end  of  the  strips 
mentioned  for  supporting  the  pack,  having  previously  run  off  the 
exhausted  liquor  to  the  junk  for  repumping  over  to  the  leaches.  A 
similar  plank  is  also  placed  in  pit  No.  2;  then  the  operator  steps  on 
to  the  plank  in  No.  i  and  taking  two  or  three  sides  at  a  time  car- 
ries them  over  into  pit  No.  2,  which  is  supposed  to  be  partially 
filled  with  liquor,  and  then  carefully  lower  the  sides  by  a  vibrating 


16 LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

movement  from  right  to  left  so  that  the  flanks  may  be  opened  out 
to  receive  the  liquor,  and  when  the  entire  pack  is  changed,  run  in 
sufficient  liquor  to  entirely  fill  the  pit.  It  is  also  advisable  to  take 
a  plunger  at  intervals  and  agitate  the  liquor  as  the  more  dense  or 
astringent  portion  settles  at  the  bottom  of  the  pit.  This  tendency, 
however,  produces  favorable  results  even  though  the  agitating 
movement  be  dispensed  with,  and  is  the  prime  cause  in  the  produc- 
tion of  full,  plump  flanks  to  the  leather  which  cannot  be  secured 
by  the  old  method  of  throwing  into  the  liquors  promiscuously,  or 
by  laying  away  in  bark.  Keep  an  eye  to  the  loose,  flanky  portions, 
and  the  fine  textured  body  portion  will  take  care  of  itself. 

By  suspending  the  hides  every  portion  has  ample  space  to  feed, 
and  will  more  readily  exhaust  the  tannic  acid  ;  for  this  reason,  I 
would  insist  on  frequent  changing  of  hides  and  liquors  until  such 
time  as  the  packs  are  out  of  danger,  when  they  may  remain  quiet 
for  several  days  m  a  fairly  strong  liquor  for  plumping  and  ripening. 
This  process  is  far  preferable  to  the  old  method,  where  hides 
are  thrown  into  the  pit,  one  on  top  of  the  other,  and  when 
the  whole  pack  is  in,  they  are  practically  in  a  solid  body, 
one  lapping  on  the  other,  requiring  frequent  pulling  out  by  hooks, 
so  that  the  liquor  may  have  access  to  those  parts  most  requiring 
it.  In  laying  away,  this  objection  is  greatly  overcome,  as  a  boun- 
tiful supply  of  ground  bark  is  spread  over  each  side  allowing  ample 
space  for  the  liquor  to  penetrate,  but  at  the  same  time  failing  to 
produce  the  desired  result  in  the  flank  portions,  as  the  suspending 
method  does. 

The  time  required  to  practically  prepare  the  leather  for  splitting, 
by  suspending,  should  not  exceed  twenty-eight  days,  when  the 
leather,  if  changed  as  recommended,  will  be  struck  through  and 
well  filled  for  the  class  of  work  for  which  it  is  intended,  as  oil  grain 
to  be  tough  and  pliable  does  not  require  the  same  filling  of  pores 
and  cells  as  do  wax  upper,  kips,  etc.,  finished  on  the  flesh  side. 
The  pack  is  thrown  on  top  of  the  next  pit,  but  previous  to  this  the 
liquor  should  be  run  off  to  the  junk,  and  a  hose  with  nozzle  attach- 
ment, supplied  with  either  water  or  spent  liquor  by  force  pump, 
and  forced  between  the  sticks,  completely  removing  all  accumula- 
tions of  gallic  acid,  fine  dust  and  dirt,  that  have  accumulated  on 
sticks,  sides  and  pit,  passing  the  same  through  conveyor  to  junk, 
the  same  to  be  pum;  ed  over  on  a  last  run  leach  of  bark  and 
strained  off  for  future  use  on  a  fresh  ground  leach.  The  pack  is 
then  taken  out  of  the  pit  and  will  be  found  in  good  and  clean  con- 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS. 


17 


dition  for  sammieing  and  splitting.  The  sticks  are  detached  from 
the  sides  and  the  leather  is  then  taken  to  the  lofts  and  hung  on 
sticks  to  partially  dry. 

PREPARATION    OF    BARK    AND    AMOUNT   REQUIRED. 

If  tanning  extremely  light  hides,  two  and  one-half  cords  of  hem- 
lock bark  will  be  found  ample  to  tan  the  pack  of  fifty  hides  or  one 
hundred  sides,  and  also  for  the  splits,  whether  finished  or  sold  in 
the  rough.  The  sides  after  splitting  need  not  go  back  to  the  tan- 
nery again,  but  should  be  treated  according  to  the  instructions 
given  in  the  following  chapter.  The  splits  require  a  good  filling 
of  bark  after  being  taken  off,  and  are  first  run  for  thirty  minutes  in 
the  drum-wheel,  with  just  enough  gambier  liquor  of  fair  strength, 


BARK    CRUSHER. 

to  put  them  in  good  condition  to  go  into  the  tannery  for  comple- 
tion, which  can  be  accomplished  in  about  ten  days.  To  save  fre- 
quent handling  throw  them  into  an  England  wheel,  and  run  the 
same  daily  for  a  few  minutes  at  a  time  or  for  only  a  sufiicient  pe- 
riod to  change  the  position  of  the  splits  and  liquor.  The  latter 
may  be  run  ofi"  and  fresh  liquor  run  in  without  pulling  up  the  pack. 
This  will  be  found  necessary,  as  on  first  immersion  weaker  liquors 
should  be  used.  For  spready  cows,  fifty  to  sixty  pounds,  will  re- 
quire about  one  cord  more  of  bark  per  hundred  sides,  or  from  three 
and  a  quarter  to  three  and  a  half  cords  per  pack. 


18  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


GRINDING   AND    LEACHING. 

The  most  practical  and  economical  way,  to  the  writer's  mind,  for 
preparing  the  bark  for  leaching  is  by  crushing,  but  the  immense 
power  required  and  the  consequent  friction,  have  prevented  it  from 
being  more  generally  applied.  Still,  this  method  is  used  by  many,  the 
bark  being  first  ground  coarsely  in  a  common  mill,  thence  passing 
into  the  hopper  or  crusher  when  the  kernels  run  through  power- 
ful rollers,  that  thoroughly  crush  the  cells  and  then  pass  into  the 
conveyor  in  thin  leaves  or  flakes,  and  what  little  dust  accumulates  in 
the  grinding  is  firmly  packed  within  the  scraps  of  crushed  bark. 
These  scraps  may  be  reduced  to  powder  by  the  simple  pressure  of 
thumb  and  forefinger,  but  when  in  the  leaches  they  swell  like  a 


BARK-SHAVING  MILL, 
sponge  and  are  held  together  by  the  interweaving  of  crushed  fibers 
thereby  preventing  packing  in  the  leaches,  and  allowing  free  pas- 
sage of  liquor  in  the  running  off. 

The  tannic  acid  can  be  readily  extracted  and  with  little  if  any 
steam  used  in  the  process.  There  are  other  mills  receiving  a  good 
share  of  attention  which  shave  or  plane  the  bark  diagonally  across 
the  cells,  the  product  being  in  the  shape  of  shavings  which  lay 
Very  light  and  spongy  in  the  leaches.  A  saving  of  some  25  per 
cent,  it  is  claimed,  is  made  over  the  old  method  of  grinding. 
Either  of  these  mills  is  a  decided  improvement,  and  both  are  saving 
the  tanners  much  money  in  their  use, 

Ever>'  tanner  has  his  own  method  of  leaching  bark   and  the 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS.  19 


number  of  runs  from  such  leach  secured.  The  convej'or  system  of 
carrying  the  bark  from  mill  to  leaches,  and  the  spent  bark  to  the 
fire-room,  has  its  advantages  over  the  floating  system  of  the  bark 
from  the  mill,  as  by  this  the  spent  bark  cannot  be  disposed  of  as 
readily  and  cheaply.  The  press  system  of  leaching  is  more  gen- 
erally adopted,  as  by  it  purer  liquors  are  obtained.  The  pumping 
over  of  exhaust  liquors  on  to  head  leach,  the  same  passing  through 
and  forced  from  bottom  of  No.  i  to  top  of  No.  2,  and  so  on  through- 
out the  entire  system.  By  this  system  the  bark  ic  almost  contin- 
ually being  percolated,  the  liquors  purified,  and  Oi  greater  density 
than  where  the  leaching  is  confined  chiefly  to  that  in  which  the 
bark  is  ground.  A  few  tanners  have  suitable  facilities  and  ample 
steam  capacity  for  heating  their  liquors  to  a  very  liigh  temperature, 
to  boiling  heat,  and  then  pass  the  liquor  into  coolers  before  going 
into  the  yard.  By  this  means  all  foreign  matter  is  extracted,  and 
what  has  not  passed  off  in  vapor  will  form  in  scale,  similar  to  that 
produced  through  impure  water  in  boilers,  and  when  filtered 
through  the  several  leaches,  as  by  the  press  sj^stem,  practically  if 
not  virtually,  may  produce  pure  liquors.  But  where  the  tanner  uses 
heat  less  than  boiling  point,  leaving  all  the  impurities  in  the  bark  and 
liquor,  he  will  find  it  detrimental  towards  producing  a  good,  healthy 
color  to  the  leather.  On  this  principle  some  men  take  pills  or  medi- 
cine to  clear  their  livers  of  bile.  If  the  dose  is  not  sufficient  to 
fulfill  its  work  the  patient  finds  himself  worse  than  before,  as  the 
bile  has  been  stirred  up  pretty  efiectually,  the  same  as  water  or 
bark  liquors  at  a  too  low  temperature,  but  not  sufficient  to  pass  oflF 
either  steam  or  bile.  Therefore,  it  is  safer  for  the  tanner,  not 
having  ample  facilities  for  steaming,  cooling,  etc. ,  to  use  only  me- 
dium warm  liquors,  which  are  secured  by  running  the  spent  liquor 
from  junk  to  leaches,  through  the  exhaust  steam  box,  until  the 
oldest  leach  is  about  ready  for  pitching,  and  then  run  on  clear  water 
and  steam  up  the  same,  using  the  washing  to  run  over  on  a  fresh 
ground  leach. 


20  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

CHAPTER  III. 

PREPARING    FOR   SKIVING. 

After  being  sammied,  take  one  side  at  a  time  and  lay  it  on  the  table 
and  dampen  it,  with  a  sheep-skin  swab  and  water,  to  a  uniform 
condition.  Trim  oflf  all  the  superfluous  parts,  and  scar  all  imper- 
fections of  the  grain,  then  go  over  the  grain  side  with  a  light  dress- 
ing of  cod  and  paraffine  oil,  with  two-thirds  of  the  former  to  one- 
third  of  the  latter  oil  in  the  mixture.  When  the  pack  is  completed 
take,  for  example,  twenty-five  sides,  according  to  the  dimensions 
of  the  wheel,  which,  if  built  in  similar  proportions  to  the  stuffing- 
wheel,  will  be  eight  feet  in  diameter,  four  feet  wide,  inside  measure, 
and  will  contain  oak  pins  irregularly  studded  and  inserted  in  the 
circumference.  Such  a  sized  wheel  will  have  a  capacity  for  the 
number  of  sides  specified.  No  water  or  steam  connections  are  re- 
quired for  this  work.  Put  in  the  sides  and  connect  the  belt  running 
around  the  center  circumference  of  the  wheel  to  the  pulley,  then  ap- 
ply the  tightener,  and  set  the  wheel  in  motion,  and  run  it  for  twenty 
minutes  in  the  same  condition  as  was  taken  from  trimming  table. 
This  pin-blocking  process  will  give  to  the  leather  a  mellow  feeling, 
and  to  the  sides  their  natural  contour,  for  after  the  hides  have  been 
suspended  to  sticks  and  hung  in  the  pits  for  four  weeks,  supported 
only  in  the  center  and  at  each  end,  they  change  their  original  shape 
on  the  back  strip  through  contraction  in  the  tanning  process.  But 
during  this  milling  they  resume  their  former  character  and  are  more 
easily  manipulated  by  skiver,  splitter  and  shaver. 

SKIVING   AND   SPLITTING. 

If  the  belt  knife  machine  is  not  at  hand,  recourse  may  be  had  to 
the  revolving  or  thumping  machine  for  removing  the  flesh.  This 
has  hands  at  intervals,  with  stone  or  steel  slicker  attached,  and  is 
of  similar  construction  to  the  polishing  machine.  If  neither  of 
these  machines  is  at  hand,  the  operator  will  have  to  fall  back  to 
skiving  by  hand,  with  head  knife  over  a  stake.  But  I  consider  the 
belt-knife  machine  far  ahead  of  anything  yet  invented  for  this 
work,  as  it  is  capable  of  doing  five  hundred  sides  daily.  The 
skivings,  as  taken  off,  greatly  resemble  a  lace  shawl,  and  have 
greater  value  than  hand  skivings  for  shoddy  work.  There  will 
not  be  found  cuts  and  stabs  as  in  hand  skiving.  In  skiving  by 
machine  the  sides  are  reversed  from  that  of  splitting,  being  fed  into 
the  machine  flesh  uppermost,  the  uneven  portions  passing  down- 
wards, while  the  flesh  is  separated  uniformly  on  the  entire  surface 


MANUI^ACTURE  OF  OIIv  GRAINS. 


21 


of  the  side,  and,  if  required,  the  blood  veins  may  be  removed  in  a 
measure,  where  the  splits  are  to  be  used  for  flesh  finish.  This  ma- 
chine is  also  a  great  favorite  with  tanners  making  light  and  fancy 


m 

> 

o 


grains,  book-binding  and  pocket-book  leathers.  It  performs  its 
best  work  the  nearer  the  belt-knife  comes  to  the  grain,  and  the 
leather  requires  no  shaving  as  that  split  by  the  union  machine.     In 


22 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


heavier  grades  of  leather,  such  as  wax  upper,  heavy  boot  grains, 
and  collar  leather,  complaints  are  made  that  it  will  not  perform  its 
work  as  satisfactory  as  on  light.  Yet  the  writer  has  operated  it  on 
all  classes  of  leather  and  with  highly  gratifying  results.  In  leveling 
splits  for  flesh  finish,  the  union  machine  will  do  its  work  more 
evenly  in  removing  the  slab  from  grain  or  split  side.      Then  take 


FRICTION    GEAR    FOR   UNION   MACHINE. 

them  to  the  belt-knife  machine  and  remove  a  skiff  from  the  entire 
surface,  of  suflQcient  size  to  split  the  veins,  and  this  can  be  done  far 
more  safely  and  evenly  than  is  generally  done  by  hand. 

The  belt  knife  is  more  generally  used  for  skiving  in  tanneries 
where  leather  of  five  ounce  and  upwards  per  foot  is  made,  and  the 
splitting  is  done  by  the  union  machine.  One  hundred  sides  per 
day  of  large  oil  grain  are  considered  to  be  a  good  day's  work  for  a 
union  machine  splitter,  including  the  trimming  of  heads  and  shanks, 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS.  23 


whereas  with  the  belt  knife  two  men  can  split  from  four  to  five  hun- 
dred sides  daily,  and  at  the  same  time  secure  larger  splits  and  a 
greater  percentage  of  oflfal. 

SHAVING   AND    RETANNING. 

If  split  by  a  union  machine  the  sides  will  have  to  be  belly -shaved, 
but  if  done  by  the  belt  knife  no  shaving  will  be  required.  In  split- 
ting it  is  well  to  make  three  selections,  throwing  the  light  or  spready 
sides  in  one  pile,  the  medium  in  another,  and  the  heavy  by  them- 
selves ;  then  the  splitter  can  keep  his  gauge  more  uniformly  and 
produce  the  desired  classifications  of  leather  to  finish,  ranging  from 
three  to  five  and  six  ounces  per  foot. 

RETANNING. 

Dissolve  one  bale  of  250  pounds  of  gambier  in  a  cask  containing 
seventy-five  gallons   of  water,  which  is  connected  by  steam  and 
water  pipes,  and  is  within  reach  of  the  drum  wheel.     This  wheel 
is  similar  to  the  one  described  in  the  preceding  pages,  and  is  con- 
structed on  the  same  plan  as  the  stuffing  wheel.     It  is  set  up  in 
splitting    and   scouring   room.     After  the   leather  is  shaved,  put 
within  the  wheel  thirty  sides  and  five  gallons  of  the  gambier  liquor, 
and  about  two-thirds  of  a  water-pail  full  of  dry  American  sumac  ;' 
then  add  two  or  more  pails  of  water,  or  bark  liquor,  according  to 
the  condition  of  the  leather,  or  no  more  than  what  the  leather  will 
absorb  during  the  milling  process.     Run  on  the  belt  and  tightener 
and  let  the  wheel  revolve  for  thirty  minutes.     Take   the  leather 
from  the  wheel  and  pile  down  with  flesh  up  in  the  box  at  the  rear 
of  the  scourer's  table,  allowing  the  same  to  lay  in  pile  ten  or  twelve 
hours  before  scouring.     The  cost  of  retanning,  as  above,  will  not 
exceed  4  cents  per  hide.     Far  better  results  will  thus  be  accom- 
plished in  the  space  of  thirty  minutes  than  would  be  in  an  open  pit 
in  several  days.     Where  hemlock  tanned  leather  is  used  for  grain 
finish  it  will  fade  and  grow  rusty  in  the  black  by  age,  unless  sumac 
and  gambier  are  used  in  retanning,  after  it  has  been  split.     Oak 
extract  will  answer  the  same  purpose,  and  may  be  used  alone  with 
good  results. 

SCOURING. 

The  scouring  may  be  done  by  either  the  hand  or  the  machine, 
and  only  upon  the  grain  side,  and  should  be  done  thoroughly  by 
stone  and  slicker.  While  at  full  spread  on  the  table  take  a  swab 
with  cod  and  paraffine  oil,  mixed,  and  apply  a  light  dressing  to 
the  grain  ;  then  fold  in  book  form  and  hang  in  the  loft  for  sam- 
mieing. 


34  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

SAMMIEING. 

This  term,  like  many  others  which  are  employed  by  tanners, 
I  have  failed  to  learn  the  origin  of,  neither  can  such  a  word  be 
found  in  the  standard  dictionaries.  It  appears  to  have  originated 
in  the  Western  and  Southern  states,  for  at  the  East,  "  hardening" 
is  generally  used  when  the  leather  is  hung  on  poles  or  in  the  lofts 
to  dry  out  a  certain  percentage  of  moisture,  in  order  to  prepare  it 
for  splitting  and  stuflSng.  Many  tanners  dry  the  scoured  leather 
completely,  then  weigh  up  in  packs,  for  the  stuffing  wheel  the 
exact  number  of  pounds  for  each  wheel  before  dampening.  Where 
ample  drying  room  and  steam  is  at  hand  I  would  advise  tanners 
to  adopt  this  method  ;  otherwise,  practically  like  results  may  be 
obtained  by  only  sammieing  or  hardening  the  sides.  Then  take  a 
swab  with  water  and  carefully  go  over  the  dry  spots,  so  that  the 
side  may  be  of  uniform  moisture,  in  place  of  immersing  the  sides 
as  when  completely  dried  out.  To  obtain  the  dry  weight  of  leather 
sammied  and  dampened,  deduct  one-third  from  weight  when  ready 
to  go  into  the  stuffing  wheel .  This  is  a  pretty  sure  guide  where  the  lea- 
ther is  dampened  by  an  expert.  Too  much  attention  cannot  be  given 
to  preparing  the  leather  at  this  stage  for  the  stuffing  wheel.  It  must 
be  neither  too  wet  nor  too  dry.  If  too  wet,  it  will  be  found  diffi- 
cult to  force  the  grease  within  the  pores  and  cells  ;  if  too  dry,  the 
grain  will  be  disfigured,  and  the  leather  will  have  a  ragged  feeling 
in  the  finish.  A  good  test  is  to  fold  the  side  on  thick  portions  and 
give  a  good  pressure  on  the  grain  with  thumb  and  forefinger,  and 
should  water  gently  ooze  from  the  pores,  it  may  be  considered  in 
good  condition  for  receiving  the  grease.  The  flank  portions  should 
be  a  trifle  damper  than  the  body,  as  it  is  important  that  the  coarser 
parts  should  be  thoroughly  filled  with  heavy  grease,  to  secure  firm 
leather,  as  leather  well  dampened  will  carry  more  grease  than 
where  too  dry,  though  it  requires  longer  time  in  the  wheel,  and 
a  higher  temperature  to  expel  the  water  from  the  pores  before  the 
grease  can  replace  it.  After  dampening,  the  leather  should  be 
packed  down  in  snug  piles,  covered  over  with  wet  leather  and  al- 
lowed to  remain  thus  for  twenty-four  hours  before  stuffing,  when  it 
will  be  found  of  uniform  dampness  and  fairly  ripe. 

STUFFING. 

The  stuffing  wheel  is  well  known  to  most  tanners  who  have  been 
engaged  in  the  leather  manufacture  for  the  past  thirty  years,  and 
if  my  memory  serves  me  right,  it  was  first  introduced  into  this 
country  in  an  improved  style,  on  or  about  the  year  i860.     But  for 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS. 


25 


the  benefit  of  those  now  coming  upon  the  stage,  I  will  give  a  more 
detailed  description  of  the  wheel,  its  construction  and  advantages 
over  the  old  method  of  stuffing  by  hand.  The  accompanying  cut 
will  give  a  fair  idea  as  to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  set  up,  also  the 
motive  power  and  steam  connections.  The  timber  used  in  the  con- 
struction is  of  two-inch  pine,  dressed  and  jointed,  and  six  inches 
wide.  The  original  diameter  was  only  about  six  feet,  but  it  was 
found  that  a  wheel  of  eight  feet  in  diameter,  and  from  three  and 
one-half  to  four  feet  in  width,  inside  measure,  worked  to  better  ad- 


STUFFING  WHEEL. 

vantage,  giving  a  longer  drop  to  the  leather  and  thereby  greatly 
facilitating  the  work.  The  inside  circumference  of  the  wheel  is  ir- 
regularly studded  with  oak  or  ash  pins,  of  a  sufficient  number  to 
pick  up  the  sides,  during  the  revolutions,  and  carry  them  to  near 
the  top  center  and  then  dropping  them  to  the  bottom,  they  are 
again  picked  up  and  carried  upwards.  The  pins  should  be  about 
eight  inches  long  and  of  nearly  two  inches  in  diameter,  and  should 
be  turned  to  a  shoulder  the  same  depth  as  thickness  of  staves.  Let 
holes  then  be  bored  through  the  staves,  and  the  pins  driven  in 
firmly  to  the  shoulder  ;  otherwise  the  head  and  staves  are  jointed 
and  put  together  similar  to  those  of  a  tank  or  leach,  that  has  flat  or 
round  iron  hoops  on  each  end  to  draw  the  staves  together.     Round 


26  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

iron  is  preferable,  and  should  be  fully  one-half  inch  in  diameter. 
At  each  end  a  flange  is  made  and  turned  outwards  with  right  and 
left  thread  attachment,  so  that  when  the  hoops  are  put  on  the  two 
flanges  will  be  from  six  to  eight  inches  apart.  A  key  or  thread 
made  of  the  same  sized  rod,  having  a  square  shoulder  in  the  center 
of  same  and  with  right  and  left  thread,  similar  to  hoops,  is  then 
screwed  in  and  the  wrench  applied  to  draw  the  staves  firmly  to- 
gether. Heavy  cast  iron  plates,  having  turned  axles  projecting 
six  inches,  and  of  three  inches  in  diameter,  are  firmly  bolted  to 
each  center  of  the  heads.  The  one  facing  the  operator  is  bored  out 
sufficiently  large  through  the  axle  to  admit  a  three-fourths  inch 
steam  pipe  for  the  purpose  of  introducing  the  steam  into  the  wheel. 
This  connection  is  packed  with  a  swivel  joint  to  prevent  the  escape 
of  steam  and  also  the  disconnecting  of  the  pipe,  when  the  wheel  is  in 
motion.  In  the  center  of  the  wheel,  and  directly  under  the  door, 
bore  a  hole  tw^o  inches  in  diameter  and  insert  a  plug.  This  should 
be  withdrawn  every  time  the  wheel  is  steamed  up  to  pass  off"  the 
condensed  steam  and  what  remaining  particles  of  grease  the  previous 
pack  failed  to  absorb.  Run  it  into  pans  and  when  cool  skim  off"  the 
grease  for  future  use.  The  door  for  putting  in  the  leather  should 
be  fully  two  feet  long  and  eighteen  inches  wide,  and  be  made  to  se- 
cure a  perfect  fit  in  joints  and  securely  fastened  by  thumb  screws. 
At  front  and  rear  of  wheel  build  a  framework,  some  four  feet  apart 
and  near  the  outer  chimes,  and  connected  to  each  is  a  timber  of 
of  the  same  size  mortised  and  pinned  together,  whereon  the  box  is 
set  and  bolted,  and  the  axle  is  placed  on  it  to  support  the  wheel. 
By  this  means  free  access  may  be  had  to  the  door  and  plug,  to  put 
in  the  leather  and  also  to  run  off"  the  condensed  steam. 

Many  so-called  improvements  have  been  made  in  the  mode  of 
heating  and  feeding  the  leather  with  grease  through  a  hopper  as 
the  wheel  revolves,  and  by  connecting  coils  of  steam  pipes  within 
the  wheel,  which  should  be  latticed  over  with  wood  so  that  the 
leather  will  not  come  in  contact  with  the  heated  pipes.  I  would 
not  knowingly  discourage  any  needed  improvements  or  inventions 
in  the  art  of  making  leather,  but  experience  confirms  the  belief  that 
the  safer  and  most  practical  way  to  stuff"  leather  by  wheel  is  that 
first  introduced,  and  I  believe  most  generally  adopted,  viz:  First, 
by  introducing  direct  steam  into  the  wheel  through  the  axle  until 
the  entire  wood  work  is  completely  heated,  or  at  about  the  same 
temperature  as  the  grease  which  goes  in  later,  that  is,  to  140  de- 
grees F.     A  higher  temperature  is  used — such  as  150  degrees — but 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIIv  GRAINS. 


where  the  leather  is  in  good  condition  it  is  well  to  be  on  the  safe 
side  as  the  grease  can  be  thoroughly  absorbed  at  that  temperature 
and  without  injury-.  Or  a  safe  test  of  heat  in  the  wheel  may  be  had 
by  the  following  process.  After  the  steaming  open  the  door  upper- 
most, and  allow  the  excess  of  steam  to  escape,  then  apply  the  hand 
to  the  pins,  and  when  this  can  be  done  without  burning,  it  is  safe 
to  put  in  the  leather  and  grease,  and  set  the  wheel  in  motion  as  soon 
as  possible.  My  experience  with  dry  steam  through  coils  of  pipe 
has  been  far  from  satisfactory.  I  had  them  taken  out  and  went 
back  to  first  principles  with  gratifying  results.  The  wheel  thus 
heated  with  coils  of  pipe,  is  to  be  favorably  compared  to  a  baker's 
oven,  but  when  the  steam  is  carried  a  long  distance  from  the  boiler 
it  frequently  fails  to  raise  temperature  sufficient  to  properly  force 
the  grease  into  the  leather.  There  should  be  a  certain  amount  of 
moisture  in  the  wheel,  aside  from  that  which  is  in  the  leather,  in- 
stead of  a  dry  furnace  heat  which  has  a  tendency  to  destroy  the 
life  of  the  leather  and  render  it  hard  and  tender. 

AMOUNT  OP  GREASE  AND  PREPARING, 

Fill  the  steam  jacket  kettle  with  75  per  cent  of  English  degras 
and  25  per  cent  of  brown   grease.      This  is  intended   for   stufl&ng 
in  winter  or  cold   weather,  but  in   summer  increase  the  brown 
grease  5  to  10  per  cent.     Tallow  and  stearine  are  used  by  many 
tanners  in  place  of  brown  grease,  but  both  have  failed  to  produce 
as  satisfactory  results.     What  is  brown  grease,  may  be  asked  ?     It 
is  made  from  tanner's  whitenings,  table  grease,  and  trimmings  of 
finished  leather,  the  gathering  of  stearine  from  the  flesh  of  hand- 
stuffed  harness  leather.     These  ingredients  are  gathered  promis- 
cuously from  tanners  making  all  classes  and  styles  of  leather,  by 
manufacturers  making  a  specialty  of  this  grease.      It  is  dumped 
into  large  tanks  containing  water,  having  steam-coil  connections  at 
the  bottom,  and  this  water  is  thoroughly  steamed  up  to  a  boiling 
heat.     When  the  whitening  and  other  scraps  are  reduced  to  a  pulp, 
the  grease  rises  to  the  surface,  and  is  aided  by  a  small  amount  of 
soda  ash,  which  has  a  tendency  to  purify  the  grease  and  separate  it 
from  the  water.     It  is  then  skimmed  off  and  put  into  a  jacket  ket- 
tle,  and  steamed  up  again,    to  pass  off  iu  vapor  any  remaining 
water  collected  by   the    skimming  process.     It  is   then    allowed 
to  partially  cool  before  being  drawn  off  and  put  into  barrels  for  use. 
When  cold,  it  is  as  hard  as  the  finest  quality  of  stearine,  and  of  a 
brownish  or  buff  color,  and  is  purer  than  tallow,  as  commonly  ren- 
dered, and  free  from  all  foreign  matter  injurious  to  leather,  such  as 


28 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


salt,  acid,  and  alkalies,  as  the  small  amount  of  soda  ash,  used  in 
separating  and  purifying,  settles  with  the  water  and  is  there  re- 


WQUOR   PUMP. 

tained  and  run  off.  Now  we  have  what  might  be  termed  a  com- 
bination of  greases,  each  of  which  is  beneficial  to  leather  singly  or 
united.  By  uniting  on  the  above  principle,  any  foreign  matter  that 
each  may  have  had  in  its  original  state  will  be  detected,  and  no 
tanner,  however  practical,  unless  aided  by  a  competent  chemist, 
can  discover  the  numerous  impositions  passed  upon  him  when  buy- 
ing oils,  tallow,  degras,  and  all  that  enters  into  leather.  We  might 
go  further  and  include  brown  grease,  but  the  price  is  so  low,  com- 
pared with  most  all  oils  and  greases,  that  it  would  not  pay  for  the 
maker  to  use  substitutes,  except  by  the  use  of  resin,  but  this  agent 
can  be  readily  detected,  when  the  grease  is  melted,  by  its  invariable 
bluish  cast  in  color.  To  guard  against  this  imaginary  substitute, 
any  tanner  doing  a  moderate,  or  extensive,  business  can  put  in  all 
the  necessary  apparatus  for  working  over  his  tannery  waste,  at 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS.  CD 


slight  expense,  and  feel  assured  of  obtaining  a  pure  article  of 
grease.  To  go  further,  let  us  see  what  this  combination  is  com- 
posed of.  First,  tallow,  stearine,  degras,  sod,  fish,  parafl5ne,  neats- 
foot  oil,  and  brown  grease,  as  the  latter  is  rendered  time  and  again, 
or  the  surplus  which  the  leather  failed  to  receive,  and  which  im- 
proves in  the  rendering.  Therefore  I  claim  that  brown  grease, 
honestly  rendered,  is  as  pure  as  the  best  article  of  white  stearine 
from  lard  or  kidney  tallow,  on  the  market,  and  once  within  the 
pores  and  cells  of  the  leather  there  is  no  dislodgment  by  evapora- 
tion, frying  or  gumming. 

When  the  jacket  kettle  is  once  filled,  steam  is  turned  on  and  the 
grease  is  melted  at  a  temperature  of  140  degrees  Fahrenheit.  The 
steam  is  then  shut  off,  to  prepare  the  wheel  for  receiving  the  leather. 
The  dimensions  of  the  wheel,  as  we  gave  it,  will  carry  300  pounds 
of  dampened  leather,  equivalent  to  200  pounds  of  dry  leather. 
For  every  100  pounds  of  dry  leather  put  within  the  wheel,  after  it 
has  been  heated  and  the  condensed  water  drawn  off,  put  in  65 
pounds  of  the  combined  greases,  or  to  the  pack  of  200  pounds,  130 
pounds.  Throw  the  leather  in  by  folding  it  in  book  form,  upon  the 
pins  at  each  side  of  the  center,  so  that  it  may  not  come  in  contact 
with  the  hot  grease  there  until  the  wheel  is  in  motion.  Close  the 
door  quickly,  slip  belt  on  to  pulley,  and  apply  the  tightener  to  the 
belt  which  runs  around  the  circumference  of  the  wheel  in  the  cen- 
ter, and  run  it  for  twenty-five  minutes.  At  the  expiration  of  that 
time  throw  oif  the  belt,  open  the  door,  again  set  the  wheel  in  mo- 
tion, and  run  it  for  five  or  ten  minutes  to  cool  the  sides.  Take 
them  out  and  throw  them  over  the  poles  for  a  few  moments  to  cool 
before  taking  them  to  the  setters.  The  leather  is  then  packed  into 
boxes  and  covered  with  bagging.  It  is  then  supposed  to  be  in 
proper  condition  for  setting. 

SETTING. 
We  now  come  to  one  of  the  most  important  branches  of  the 
work,  that  of  giving  character  to  the  sides  in  back  strip  and  flanks. 
The  sides  are  first  placed  on  the  table,  the  back  near  the  edge,  flesh 
up,  when  the  setter  takes  a  steel  slicker,  fairly  sharp,  and  com- 
mences setting  out  the  side  towards  the  butt  and  back,  and  having 
removed  the  baggy  portions,  passes  on  toward  the  hind  shank  and 
flanks,  which  are  spread  out  naturally  without  pleating  ;  he  then 
turns  toward  the  shoulder  and  fore  shank  and  repeats  the  operation, 
keeping  in  view  the  alignment  of  the  back  strip.  The  side  is  then 
turned  over  and  similarly  worked  on  the  grain  side,  but  requires 


80 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


more  elbow-grease  in  stoning  out  the  contracted  grain,  caused  by 
the  pin-blocking  method  it  was  subjected  to  in  the  stufl&ng  wheel. 
After  the  grain  is  scientifically  set  out,  the  back  straightened,  and 
flanks  full  spread,  the  setter  then  takes  the  steel  slicker  of  a  stun ter 
edge  than  used  on  the  flesh,  and  goes  over  the  entire  side,  removing 
marks  of  the  former  tool.  The  side  at  this  stage  should  be  made 
perfectly  smooth  and  firm  on  the  table,  as  though  glued  to  it,  and 
when  it  is  taken  off  to  hang  up  to  dry,  care  should  be  exercised 
that  the  set  is  not  destroyed.  Hang  them  where  they  are  not  ex- 
posed to  great  heat  or  light,  and  let  them  dry  slowly. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

SLICKING    AND   BUFFING. 

After  drying,  the  leather  is  packed  down  in  piles,  with  the  grain 
up,  full  spread,  covered  over,  and  are  allowed  to  ripen  up  for  the 
bufl&ng.  They  are  then  first  slicked  off  on  the  flesh  side  with  a  mod- 
erately sharp  steel  slicker,  and  all  adhering  substances  should  be 
removed,  otherwise  in  bufl&ng,  imperfections  on  grain  will  be  made. 


PLAIN  SQUARE  LIQUOR  PIPES. 

Bufl&ng  is  a  comparatively  new  feature  in  the  finishing  of  oil  grains, 
and  it  has  been  forced  upon  the  tanners  through  imperfections  on 
grain,  caused  principally  by  the  cattle  coming  in  contact  with  barb- 
wire  fences.  Some  tanners  buflf  the  grain  oflF  only  where  imperfec- 
tions are  noticeable,  while  others  buflf  the  entire  grain  surface.  The 
latter  method  I  would  recommend  for  the  following  reasons  :  First, 
the  sides  will  take  the  black  more  uniformly,  and  retain  it,  where 
all  the  grain  is  snuflfed  off  than  where  it  is  done  in  patches.  Sec- 
ond, the  leather  will  take  the  print  uniformly,  at  the  same  time  it 
imparts  a  fine,  silky  feeling  to  the  grain,  and  manufacturers  can 
warrant  their  products  so  made  not  to  crack  or  fade  by  age.  Objec- 
tions to  this  method  have  been  raised,  on  the  ground   that  the 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS.  31 


leather  would  be  less  water-proof  by  tbe  removal  of  the  cuticle. 
This  objection,  if  it  had  any  foundation  in  fact,  has  been  practi- 
cally overcome  by  the  use  of  heavy  greases.  There  is  no  class 
of  leather  now  being  made  that  is  of  a  more  water-proof  nature 
than  the  popular  lines  of  oil  grains,  and  which  are  enjoying  such 
an  extensive  sale.  The  Western  tanners  were  the  first  to  intro- 
duce this  class  of  leather  to  the  trade,  and  having  practically^  per- 
fected the  tannage  and  finish,  are  now  supphdng  the  Eastern  shoe 
manufacturers  with  mammoth  blocks  of  it,  while  many  of  the  East- 
ern tanners  plod  on  in  the  same  old  ruts  their  fathers  did  before 
them  in  making  wax  upper,  kips  and  calfskins. 

BUFFING. 

The  term  ' '  snuflSng  ' '  may  be  more  properly  applied  to  this  work 
than  bufl&ng.  By  the  latter  term  it  will  be  understood  that  the 
outer  grain  is  removed  the  same  as  in  bufi"  and  glove  leather. 
Snuffing  implies  only  the  splitting  of  the  cuticle,  leaving  a  firm 
foundation  on  which  to  pebble  and  throw  up  a  prominent  figure  in 
graining  with  the  cork  board.  This  method  simply  removes  the 
crusty,  tinny  feeling  of  the  grain,  similar  to  the  scales  upon  the  fish 
species,  and  imparts  a  fine,  silky  feeling  to  the  touch,  and  when 
finished  will  not  crack  or  pipe  up  as  when  finished  with  the  cuticle 
left  on.  This  work  is  done  by  slicker  similar  to  that  used  in 
whitening  calf,  kips,  etc. ,  on  the  flesh  side.  The  edge  is  square 
across  with  slightly  rounding  edges,  and  steeled  straight  across  the 
center  and  on  each  side,  producing  a  keen,  delicate  cutting  edge, 
severing  the  grain  in  strips  of  the  thickness  of  fine  tissue  paper. 
Where  barb-wire  scratches  are  not  too  deeply  imprinted,  by  taking 
a  second  cut  they  may  be  entirely  removed.  But  this  is  the  excep- 
tion, not  the  rale,  as  many  hides  are  so  badly  scratched,  and  to  such 
a  depth,  that  should  the  buffer  undertake  to  buff"  them  out  he  would 
have  no  grain  on  which  to  finish,  but  in  place  of  it  open,  coarse 
channels  throughout  the  side,  which  would  quickly  consign  it  to 
the  No.  2,  or  third  selection.  Barb-wire  scratches  are  the  greatest 
annoyance  and  damage  the  tanner  has  to  contend  with.  Branded, 
grubby,  cut,  scored,  hair  slips,  and  manure  hides  are  sold  on  their 
merits,  but  however  careful  he  may  be  in  the  selection  of  what  are 
classed  as  No.  i  hides,  he  cannot  discover  the  innumerable  railway 
lines,  stations  and  side  tracks  indelibly  imprinted  on  the  animal's 
hide  until  he  gets  the  hair  off,  and  for  all  this  barb-wire  engraving 
he  can  obtain  no  redress.  It  is  like  the  boy's  swapping  jack- 
knives,    "  unsight  and  unseen,"  or  buying  a  balky  horse,  which, 


3S  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

when  he  comes  into  your  possession  plants  his  fore  and  hind  feet  in 
the  shape  of  a  step-ladder  and  laughingly  turns  his  head  towards 
you  and  mentally  asks,  ' '  What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it  ?  " 
Millions  of  dollars  worth  of  hides  are  injured  annually  by  the  use 
of  barb-wire  fences.  Still  the  work  goes  on,  and  the  tanner  alone 
is  the  sufferer.  Is  it  not  about  time  for  the  tanners  to  make  an  es- 
timate of  the  average  damage  done  to  hides  by  barb-wire  fences, 
and  openly  declare  they  will  not  buy  hides  except  at  such  a  reduc- 
tion in  prices  as  will  practically  warrant  them  in  paying  for  ' '  un- 
sight  and  unseen ' '  damage,  while  the  stock  raiser,  farmer  and 
butcher  receives  more  per  pound  for  the  hide  covering  than  they 
do  for  the  beef  which  has  been  protected  during  maturity  by  the 
barb-wired  hides  ?  Suppose,  for  instance,  that  if  the  tanner  indel- 
ibly engraved  his  business  card  with  specialties  on  the  body  of 
every  side  of  leather  finished,  would  any  sane  person  believe  that 
he  could  sell  it  even  at  half  price  ?  It  would  be  folly  to  attempt 
doing  away  with  the  barb-wire  fences  at  a  time  when  they  inclose 
millions  of  acres  of  grazing  land,  but  the  chief  remedy  now  is  to 
seek  redress  through  the  only  channel  of  escape — by  regulating 
prices  according  to  the  value  received. 

I  trust  the  reader  will  excuse  this  digression  brought  about  in 
the  endeavor  to  remove  those  unsightly  blemishes  on  the  leather, 
as  it  is  too  important  a  matter  to  pass  by  without  giving  vent  to  an 
expression  which  I  feel  every  tanner  engaged  in  making  grain 
leather  will  heartily  endorse. 

BLACKING   AND    FINISHING. 

After  the  sides  are  buffed  they  are  taken  to  the  blacking  table, 
and  are  piled  on  in  packs  of  twenty-five  or  more,  with  the  grain  up. 
Near  the  table  is  supposed  to  be  the  sig  barrel,  capable  of  contain- 
ing about  fifty  gallons  of  logwood  liquor.  Directly  over  the  barrel 
is  a  pulley  connected  with  the  floor  timbers.  A  coarse  gunny  bag, 
which  will  contain  one-half  bushel  of  chipped  logwood  when  filled, 
is  securely  tied  around  the  neck  with  a  cord,  that  is  connected  with 
the  pulley  in  order  that  the  contents  may  be  raised  from  out 
the  barrel  at  a  sufficient  height  to  drain  and  allow  the  blacker  to 
apply  the  brush  to  the  liquid  after  it  has  been  thoroughly  steamed 
up  by  the  forcing  of  direct  steam  into  the  barrel,  the  condensing  of 
which  will  supply  ample  water  to  the  logwood  and  of  the  purest 
quality.  When  putting  the  logwood  in  the  bag  put  in  also  soda 
ash  of  the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  or  only  just  sufficient  to  draw  the 
strength  from  the  wood.     Fresh  logwood  should  be  replaced  daily 


MANUFACTURE  OF  Oil,  GRAINS. 


33 


in  cases  where  a  large  number  of  sides  are  being  blacked.  Then 
lower  the  bag  with  the  contents  at  intervals,  to  further  extract  the 
strength  of  the  wood,  and  keep  it  at  all  times  on  an  even  temper- 
ature, or  near  boiling  heat,  as  it  is  spread  on  the  leather  in  small 
amounts  and  thoroughly  rubbed  in  with  a  stiff  brush,  there  is  no 
fear  of  burning  the  leather,  particularly  when  it  is  heavily  stuffed 
with  grease  as  in  oil  grains.  To  produce  a  deep  black  of  durable 
color  the  sig,  or  logwood,  must  be  well  rubbed  in.  Its  color  at  first 
application  is  of  a  purple  shade,  but  when  the  grain  is  fully  satu- 
rated it  changes  to  brown.  Care  should  also  be  given  not  to  put 
on  too  much  sig,  but  it  must  be  well  rubbed  in  until  the  grain  is 
mellowed,  and  the  surface  grease  cut  sufi&ciently  to  readily  absorb 
the  black.     This  latter  is  applied  in  a  cold  state,  and  by  the  use  of 


PEBBLING  JACK. 

a  softer  brush  made  from  horse  hair.  It  requires  no  great  exertion 
to  apply  the  blacking  if  the  side  is  properly  prepared  with  the  log- 
wood sig,  as  the  grain  takes  the  color  instantaneously  and  requires 
only  two  or  three  immersions  of  the  brush  to  go  over  the  entire 
side.  The  sides  are  hung  up  for  a  few  moments  after  being  blacked, 
when  they  are  taken  down,  folded  flesh  outwards  in  a  pile — and  are 
well  covered  to  ripen  up  and  be  in  good  condition  for  the  pebbling 
machine.  The  leather  thus  blacked  should  not  remain  too  long  in 
the  pile  before  pebbling,  as  the  more  exposed  portions  will  become 
too  dry  to  receive  a  good  impression  of  the  pebbling  roller. 

PEBBLING. 

There  are  several  styles  of  machines  in  use  for  this  work,  each  of 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


which  will  perform  satisfactory  work  if  the  operator  is  familiar  with 
machinery  and  construction.  The  bed  should  at  times  be  leveled 
up,  and  new  bolsters  of  solid  belt  leather  be  attached  and  evenly 
adjusted.  Should  the  leather  be  greasy,  and  the  roll  fail  to  impart 
the  necessary  prominence  in  print,  turn  on  a  liberal  supply  of  kero- 
sene oil  to  the  bed  and  allow  the  roller  to  pass  over  it  a  few  times 
before  putting  on  the  side,  and  the  roll  will  become  perfectly 
cleared  of  all  obstructions.  A  stiff  bristle  brush  is  frequently  used 
with  applications  of  kerosene  oil  to  clear  it.  The  operator  should 
place  a  side  on  the  table  with  the  back  outwards  and  then  com- 
mence near  the  center  and  work  towards  the  back  to  the  butt ;  then, 
by  a  quick  movement,  he  should  jump  the  side  to  the  commence- 


STAKING   AND    PARCHING   MACHINE. 

ment  and  work  towards  the  head,  then  turn  to  the  fore  shanks  and 
finish  up  on  the  hind  shank.  He  should  be  as  careful  not  to  lap 
over  the  roll  as  in  leaving  any  line  or  space  not  touched,  and  to 
have  sufficient  pressure  to  imprint  the  side  uniformly  and  deep,  but 
not  to  cut  the  grain.  Most  every  tanner  has  his  peculiar  style  of 
pebbling  roll  in  figure  or  character.  But  it  is  better  that  there  be 
a  uniformity  as  far  as  possible.  In  this  respect  the  operator  had  bet- 
ter conform  to  the  print  of  those  used  by  tanners  of  large  promi- 
nence, who  have  a  reputation  established  in  their  goods.  For  in- 
stance, John  Smith,  a  shoe  manufacturer,  has  been  buying  his  oil 
grain  of  Bill  Jones,  the  tanner.  The  former  may  have  established 
a  reputation  in  the  shoes  by  the  character  of  V.\c  print.      He  is  fre- 


MANUFACTURE  OP  OIL  GRAINS.  35 

quently  importuned  to  buy  similar  grades  of  oil  grain  from  John 
Brown,  a  tanner  who  is  striving  to  make  a  reputation,  and  in  fact 
is  making  leather  of  excellent  tannage  and  finish,  but  when  John 
Smith  looks  over  the  leather  of  his  anxious  seller,  he  says : 
"  Brown,  I  am  sorry  that  I  can't  use  your  leather,  the  tannage  is 
all  right,  but  the  figure  won't  match  with  what  I  have  been  using, 
and  on  which  I  have  built  up  a  reputation.  But  should  you  suc- 
ceed in  producing  the  same  style  of  print  I  would  be  pleased  to 
place  orders  with  j'ou  occasionally,  for  I  don't  like  to  be  confined 
to  one  house  in  the  purchase  of  my  stock. ' ' 

This  is  an  age  of  sharp  competition,  and  he  who  wishes  to  be 
abreast  with  the  times,  will  pattern  after  his  more  fortunate  neigh- 
bor, particularly  should  he  not  be  a  practical  tanner,  or  does  not 
fully  understand  the  wants  of  trade.  I  would  not  advise  aping 
others,  however,  for  there  is  a  certain  pride  and  independence  in 
introducing  styles  and  establishing  your  own  reputation.  Invent 
and  perfect  the  styles,  and  when  you  know  you  have  a  good  article, 
stick  to  it,  and  educate  the  trade  up  to  that  standard.  In  fact,  be 
a  leader,  and  not  a  follower. 

GRAINING. 

As  soon  as  the  sides  are  pebbled,  set  the  grainers  to  work  at  soft 
boarding  and  graining.  This  is  done  by  the  use  of  a  convex  cork 
board,  about  fifteen  inches  long  and  seven  inches  wide,  with  slightly 
rounded  edges.  This  is  attached  to  the  right  arm  by  a  leather 
strap,  and  then  the  hand  firmly  clutches  a  wooden  pin  six  inches 
long,  which  is  fastened  to  the  center  near  the  front  end  of  the  board. 
A  portable  cork  table  is  then  placed  on  top  of  the  ordinarj^  finish- 
ing table,  and  the  ' '  graining ' '  commences,  as  follows  :  First  he 
places  the  side  flesh  up  on  a  cork  table,  butt  to  the  front  ;  then  he 
takes  the  hind  shank  and  boards  diagonally  to  the  head,  and  should 
the  leather  be  of  firm  tannage,  or  "  snappy  "  to  the  feeling,  he  goes 
over  the  second  time  from  head  to  butt.  This  is  what  is  termed 
soft  boarding,  and  he  not  only  breaks  the  crust  and  loosens  the 
fibers,  but  distributes  the  several  shades  on  the  flesh  side,  which 
are  caused  by  the  free  use  of  grease  in  stufiing,  and  by  too  quick 
or  imperfect  drying.  The  flesh  is  then  many  shades  lighter,  and 
shov.'s  the  imprints  similar  to  that  on  the  grain  side  when  cut  by  the 
cork  board.  Wet  boarding  is  then  done  by  turning  the  side  grain 
up  on  the  table.  He  cuts  the  figure  at  angles,  first  from  the  hind 
shank  to  the  head,  and  thence  from  the  tail  to  the  fore  shank.  The 
strokes  should  be  vigorous  and  the  alignment  of  the  two  angles  as 


36  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

perfect  as  possible  to  produce  a  uniform  figure.  A  more  prominent 
figure  can  be  thrown  up  by  graining  when  the  sides  are  in  a  damp 
condition,  than  when  they  are  dry.  When  the  manufacturer  cuts 
his  uppers  and  lasts  them,  the  figure  retains  its  former  prominent 
character,  providing  the  leather  is  firmly  set  after  coming  from  the 
stuffing  wheel.  The  contraction  following  after  wet  graining  and 
drying  will  naturally  leave  the  grain  in  a  similar  condition  to  that 
of  embossed  leather,  and  all  after  manipulations  will  fail  to  oblit- 
erate the  figure  thus  produced. 

DRESSING. 
If  a  fairly  bright  finish  be  desired,  of  the  most  lasting  character, 
and  which  will  give  to  the  leather  a  mellow  feeling  and  indestruc- 
tible finish,  by  the  later  applications  of  heavy  oils,  it  will  be  pro- 
duced by  using  the  following  recipe,  which  will  also  give  a 
brilliant,  coal-black  lustre :  Take  eight  ounces  of  extract  of  log- 
wood, two  ounces  of  prussiate  of  potash,  one  ounce  of  bichromate 
of  potash,  and  eight  quarts  of  soft  water,  condensed  steam  being 
preferable.  Mix  them  in  a  pail  and  steam  up  until  thoroughly  dis- 
solved. When  cold,  mix  equal  parts  of  the  mixture  and  bullock's 
blood  as  wanted  for  use. 

When  ready  to  apply  the  dressing,  place  a  batch  of  leather  on 
the  table  and  by  the  use  of  a  horse  hair  brush,  similar  to  those 
used  for  blacking,  rub  the  dressing  well  into  the  pores  of  the 
grain.  Go  over  the  entire  surface  with  a  soft  sponge,  until  the 
dressing  is  evenly  distributed,  and  then  hang  up  on  the  sticks  to 
dry.  The  dresser  should  be  frequently  cautioned  not  to  mar  the 
flesh  side  with  the  dressing,  when  applying  it  to  the  grain,  or 
when  removing  sides  from  the  table  to  hang  up,  as  those  unsightly 
blotches  show  not  only  poor  workmanship,  but  are  unattractive  to 
the  eye  of  the  proprietor,  and  the  shoe  manufacturer.  Although 
neglecting  to  do  so  will  not  injure  the  leather,  it  is  well  to  cater  to 
fancy,  when  fancy  pays  the  difference  between  neat  and  slouchy 
workmanship.  We  would  then  have  two  opposites,  on  the  grain 
side  a  rich,  deep  black,  and  on  the  flesh,  a  spotless  cream,  or  brown- 
ish shade,  wherein  gambler  is  used  for  retanning  the  sides  after 
being  split  and  shaved, 

The  leather  should  hang  until  fully  dry.  Then  the  sides  should 
be  taken  down  and  piled  on  the  oiling  table  for  the  final  finish. 
Many  tanners  have  made  the  fatal  mistake,  when  endeavoring  to 
give  the  required  greasy  feeling  to  the  grain,  of  using  light  oils  in 
the  stuffing  and  oiling  off.    True,  their  leather  is  not  lacking  in  oil, 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIIv  GRAINS.  37 

on  the  contrary,  it  is  almost  swimming  in  it,  and  by  the  least  pres- 
sure oil  will  freely  exude  from  the  pores  ;  the  flesh  is  unsightly  and 
the  fibres  are  so  saturated  that  the  leather  has  a  ragged  feeling.  What 
the  trade  demands  is  leather  of  a  water-proof  nature,  not  saturated 
with  oil,  but  filled  with  heavy  greases  that  are  not  liable  to  evap- 
orate, fry,  or  gum.  This  may  be  accomplished  by  using  the  com" 
bination,  previously  mentioned,  in  stuffing,  which  will  practically 
fill  the  cells  and  pores.  The  leather,  at  the  stage  we  have  now 
arrived  at,  has  a  velvety  feeling,  full  and  fine  in  flanks,  and  withal 
no  signs  of  oil  on  grain,  when  it  has  been  submitted  to  a  heavy 
pressure.  But  there  is  one  important  matter  yet  lacking.  The 
grain,  during  the  processes  of  blacking  and  dressing,  becomes  in  a 
measure  dry  and  harsh  from  the  use  of  the  several  mineral  and 
alkali  ingredients,  audit  will  be  necessary,  at  this  time,  to  give  to  its 
surface  a  dressing  which  will  practically  remain  there  while  the 
lighter  oil  penetrates  farther  in  and  assists  in  producing  the  mellow 
feeling  to  the  inner  fiber  and  gelatine.  For  this  work  brown  grease 
and  paraffine  oil,  the  latter  of  25  gravity,  may  be  used  successfully, 
and  at  about  one-third  the  cost  of  cod  oil.  Tallow,  stearine,  de- 
gras  and  other  oils  have  been  used  for  the  combination,  but  all  of 
those  heavy  greases  have  failed  to  produce  as  clean  a  finish  and  one 
that  was  free  from  a  white  scum,  gum,  or  blotches  on  the  grain,  as 
when  brown  grease  and  paraffine  oil  are  used.  To  every  gallon 
of  paraffine  oil  used  in  making  this  mixture,  add  one  and  one-half 
pounds  of  brown  grease,  or,  for  oiling  pan  containing  eight  gallons, 
put  in  twelve  pounds  of  the  grease,  then  set  it  on  to  the  oil  stove 
and  heat  it  until  the  grease  is  fully  melted  and  the  whole  assumes 
a  temperature  of  100  degrees  Fahrenheit,  for  cool  weather.  Apply 
the  well-filled  swab  to  the  thick  butt  and  shoulder  portions  of  the 
sides,  being  careful  not  to  put  an  excess  on  the  thin,  flanky  parts. 
Hang  the  sides  up  in  a  room  of  as  near  the  same  temperature  as 
possible.  For  this  work  a  hot  room  should  be  separated  from  the 
finishing  room,  as  it  will  be  found  very  beneficial  during  the  cold 
winter  months.  In  summer  a  greater  percentage  of  brown  grease 
may  be  used,  and  at  lower  temperature.  The  man  having  charge 
of  this  important  branch  will  need  to  use  his  judgment  as  to  the 
amount  of  grease  the  leather  will  carry,  without  leaving  a  too 
heavy  coating  on  the  surface,  as  much  depends  on  the  condition  of 
the  leather,  temperature  of  the  grease  and  room.  The  leather 
should  remain  on  sticks  until  the  grease  is  well  absorbed,  and  then 
it  should  be  packed  on  to  wooden  horses  or  tables,  grain  to  grain 


38  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

as  far  as  practicable,  and  should  any  sides  be  found  hungry,  or  not 
having  the  desired  feeling  on  the  surface,  give  them  another  light 
dressing  of  the  same  mixture. 

ASSORTING   AND   CLASSIFICATIONS. 

The  leather,  as  received  after  the  oiling  off,  is  then  measured, 
and  the  number  of  square  feet  per  side,  is  ascertained,  either  by 
denoting  the  quarters,  halves  and  square  feet  by  a  frame  laid  upon 
each  side,  or  by  the  improved  machines  now  very  generally  adopted, 
viz  :  The  Sawyer  self-adjusting  leather  measuring  machine,  or  the 
Winter  machine,  both  of  which  reduce  to  weight,  the  square  feet  or 
fractions,  and  are  considered  very  accurate  in  measuring.  The 
leather  is  then  assorted  and  classified  as  follows  :  "A,"  "  B  "  and 
"  No.  2  "  in  quality  and  in  substance,  the  following  usual  selec- 
tions are  made  :  I^ight,  medium,  heavy  medium  and  heavy.  Each 
of  these  grades  are  then  put  up  in  bundles,  containing  one-half 
dozen.  Commencing  with  butt  of  No.  i ,  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
assorter,  black  up,  and  as  far  as  can  be  matched,  the  next  side 
black  to  black,  and  so  on  until  the  number  is  complete,  the  bottom 
and  top  sides  being  flesh  outwards,  the  backs  to  the  front.  Then 
fold  them  from  heads  to  butts  in  the  center,  and  turn  over  the  butt 
portions  to  the  bend  on  the  shoulder,  make  a  half  turn  from  shoulder 
to  butts,  and  then  complete  the  book  by  a  lap  from  the  opposite 
direction,  and  you  have  a  neat  package  for  shipment.  The  next 
bundle  is  reversed  by  placing  the  back  portion  to  the  flanks  of  the 
former.  This  gives  a  level  package  of  one  dozen  sides,  which, 
after  being  stamped  with  the  number  of  square  feet  upon  each  half 
dozen,  and  also  with  the  classification  of  the  same,  are  tied  together, 
and  when  sold  are  put  into  wrapping  paper,  and  are  then  ready  for 
shipment.  Stock  thus  put  up  will  continue  to  improve  in  the  keep- 
ing, particularly  when  not  exposed  to  the  air  and  to  changes  of 
temperature. 

Leather,  when  first  finished,  may  be  compared  to  fruit  picked 
from  the  trees  and  put  into  barrels  or  cases  for  ripening.  Like  fruit, 
the  leather  grows  mellow  during  the  ripening  process,  the  finish 
and  figure  becomes  more  uniform  and  pronounced,  and  when  it  is 
opened  out  for  inspection  the  tanner  then  prides  himself  on  being 
able  to  make  so  high  a  grade,  but  at  the  factory,  during  the  process 
of  finishing  he  could  only  see  imperfections  in  finish  and  quality. 

For  dressing  oil  grain  and  imitation  goat,  a  substitute  for  beef 
blood  has  been  on  the  market  and  is  pretty  generally  used 
among  finishers  making  that  class  of  work.  It  is  called  "  Levant," 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIL  GRAINS. 


and  is  put  into  barrels  containing  some  fifty  gallons  each,  and  is 
made  in  several  grades  as  intended  for  the  different  styles  of  finish. 
The  cost  per  gallon  for  grade  No.  3,  which  is  used  for  this  work,  is 
35  cents,  in  Philadelphia.  But  beef  blood  and  the  dressing  for  which 
I  gave  the  recipe  in  this  chapter,  will  not  cost  more  than  20  cents 
per  gallon,  and  can  be  made  in  a  few  moments  when  wanted  for 
use.  The  dressing  is  far  superior  to  Levant,  and  is  perfectly  harm- 
less if  compounded  according  to  directions  given.  It  imparts  a 
rich  deep  black,  will  not  crack  or  peel  off,  and  gives  to  the  grain 
surface  a  fine  silky  feeling.  Where  by  use  of  I,evant,  the  grain  has 
a  crusty  feeling,  and  where  the  stock  requires  an  extra  amount  of 
boarding  it  will  give  to  it  a  greyish,  streaked  appearance.  Many  fin- 
ishers have  been  forced  to  use  Levant  as  a  substitute  for  blood  in 
its  original  state,  on  account  of  the  difiicult}^  and  inconvenience  of 
obtaining  and  keeping  it  for  anj^  length  of  time  ;  but  where  blood 
can  be  had  at  intervals,  and  kept  in  a  cool  place,  tanners  will  find 
it  far  more  economical,  and  desirable,  in  obtaining  the  object  in- 
tended. The  following  recipe  will  be  found  a  valuable  blacking  for 
either  oil,  shoe  grain  or  boot  grain  blacking. 

GRAIN    BLACKING. 

Take  nine  pounds  of  copperas,  one-fourth  pound  of  epsom  salts, 
six  ounces  of  ascetic  acid  and  one  ounce  of  nut  galls.  Mix  and  thor- 
oughly dissolve  the  same  by  a  steam  pipe  in  a  pail  of  water.  Turn 
into  a  barrel  prepared  for  the  purpose,  then  add  forty  gallons  of 
soft  w^ater,  condensed  steam  preferred.  It  is  then  ready  for  immedi- 
ate use  and  at  the  cost  of  one  cent  per  gallon.  This  black  I  con- 
sider superior  to  cider  vinegar  black,  made  in  connection  with  scrap 
iron  turnings,  etc. ,  which  costs  some  30  cents  per  gallon  and  several 
weeks'  time  in  making. 


40  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

CHAPTER  V. 

FLESH   SPLITS. — ASSORTING   AND  TRIMMING. 

After  the  splits  are  taken  off  by  the  machine,  they  are  then  piled 
on  the  trimming  table  flesh  up,  backs  to  the  front.  The  assorter 
and  trimmer  then  examines  each  split  carefully,  selecting  only  those 
suitable  for  flesh  finish.  Those  having  cuts  and  scores,  which  are 
too  deep  to  remove  in  shaving,  are  thrown  aside,  and  if  not  to  be 
finished  on  grain  or  split  side,  nothing  should  be  trimmed  from 
them  ;  but  they  should  be  put  into  the  drum  wheel  and  run  for 
twenty  minutes  with  water  or  a  medium  run  liquor  of  gambler  or 
hemlock,  and  then  taken  to  the  yard,  and  then  thrown  into  a  good 
liquor.  They  ought  also  to  be  handled  occasionally,  and  the  liquor 
changed  until  the  splits  are  well  filled  and  weighty,  and  then  they 
should  be  taken  to  the  lofts,  dried  and  put  into  bales  for  shipment. 

From  ordinary  runs  of  hides  there  will  be  found  only  about  50  per 
cent  suitable  for  flesh  finish,  and  some  10  per  cent  of  those  will  go 
in  the  "  B  "  selection,  or  seconds  when  finished.  Nothing  below 
a  "B"  selection  should  be  taken,  as  it  is  a  waste  of  stock  and 
money  to  finish  the  No.  2  splits.  Neither  should  the  very  plump 
nor  extreme  light  splits  be  put  into  this  finish  for  shoe  purposes. 
The  grades  mostly  in  demand  are  known  to  the  trade  as  "A.  L,. 
M. , "  "  A.  P.  L.  M. "  " A.  M. "  and  '  'A.  H.  M. "  viz. :  Light  medium, 
plump  light  medium,  medium  and  heavy  medium.  They  range 
from  eighteen  to  thirty-two  pounds  per  dozen.  The  "  A  "  denotes 
number  one,  the  "B"  the  second  selection,  having  the  smallest 
cut  or  imperfection,  and  if  too  coarse  are  put  into  the  latter  grade. 
When  selecting,  all  the  thin  portions  should  be  taken  off,  and  where 
a  cut  or  hole  is  near  the  edge  it  is  better  to  cut  it  out  at  this  stage 
rather  than  waste  labor,  grease,  etc. ,  in  the  finishing,  and  then  trim 
the  hole  out  in  the  endeavor  to  put  the  split  in  the  first  grade. 

SHAVING   AND    LEVELING. 

Where  the  belt-knife  machine  is  not  at  hand,  first  shave  the 
splits  on  the  flesh  side,  with  the  head  knife,  over  a  stake,  being  care- 
ful to  remove  all  the  remaining  flesh  from  the  skiving,  and  to  split 
the  blood  veins  so  that  they  may  be  plainly  discernible,  but  not  too 
prominent,  else  when  finished  they  will  have  to  be  classed  as  ' '  B's. " 
No  better  pattern  can  be  given  than  that  of  the  palm  of  the  hand, 
and  when  the  skin  is  shaved  to  conform  with  its  outlines  the  re- 
semblance to  a  finished  calfskin  is  so  perfect  that  the  most  practi- 
cal will  fail  to  discover  the  difference  when  made  into  shoes.  A 
properly  finished  flesh  split  has  equal,  if  not  superior  wearing  qual- 
ities, to  a  calfskin,  and  it  will  cut  up  more  economically. 


FI/ESH  SPLIT  FINISHING.  41 

When  shaved,  as  suggested,  splits  are  sent  to  the  union  machine 
and  a  slab  taken  off  from  the  grain  or  split  side.  This  slab  should 
remove  all  uneven  parts,  and  the  split  of  a  uniform  substance  from 
the  shoulder  to  butt,  and  should  conform  as  near  as  practical  to  the 
flank  portions.  The  belt-knife  machine  will  be  found  more  advan- 
tageous in  removing  the  flesh  and  splitting  the  veins  on  the  thicker 
portions  when  the  thinner  parts  can  be  snuffed  over  by  the  shaver. 
The  skifl&ng  taken  ofi"  by  the  belt-knife  has  far  greater  value  than 
where  taken  off  by  hand,  being  very  strong  and  used  for  veneering 
purposes  on  pasted  innersoling. 

RETANNING. 

Place  within  the  drum  wheel,  say  one  hundred  splits  thus  pre- 
pared, and  put  in  with  them  three  pails  of  good  strong  gambier 
liquor,  similar  to  that  recommended  for  retanning  the  sides.  Add 
sufl&cient  water  to  fully  saturate  the  number  and  condition  of  the 
splits  and  run  them  in  the  wheel  for  thirty  minutes.  This  pin-block- 
ing method  will  prepare  the  splits  to  receive  the  hemlock  liquors 
in  the  yard,  where  it  will  be  necessary  for  them  to  remain  some  ten 
days,  first  in  a  second-run  liquor  of  from  eight  to  ten  degrees,  and 
finish  them  out  in  a  first-run  liquor  of  twelve  degrees  density. 
This  work  may  be  accomplished  more  quickly  and  with  little  labor 
by  throwing  the  splits  into  the  England  handling  wheel  and  allow- 
ing them  to  revolve  only  a  few  moments  at  a  time,  or  just  sufiiciently 
to  change  the  position  of  the  splits  and  agitate  the  liquor.  When 
the  first  liquor  is  fairly  well  exhausted,  pull  the  plug  out  and  let 
the  liquor  pass  off  into  the  junk,  and  then  refill  the  pit  with  a  good 
first-run  liquor,  and  agitate  frequently  as  before.  Where  color, 
weight  and  suppleness  are  desired  it  is  well  to  give  the  pack  another 
dose  of  gambier  in  the  drum  wheel  after  coming  in  from  the  tan- 
nery, then  drain  them  and  pack  them  in  a  pile  for  twenty-four 
hours  before  scouring. 

SCOURING   AND   DRYING. 

Scour  on  flesh  side  only,  giving  them  a  good,  hard  slicking  with 
a  liberal  supply  of  clean  water.  Hang  them  in  the  lofts  and  dry 
them  out  thoroughly.  After  being  dried  weigh  them  up  in  batches, 
of  say  two  hundred  pounds  each,  for  stufl&ng,  and  sammie  as  fol- 
lows :  Fill  a  barrel  with  clean  water,  then  dip  every  alternate  split 
in  the  barrel,  and  pile  at  full  spread  on  the  floor  or  table.  Splits 
take  water  so  readily  in  the  condition  named,  that  should  every 
split  be  immersed,  no  matter  how  quickly,  they  would  be  found 
too  wet  and  ragged  to  receive  the  grease.     But  bj^  wetting  one  and 


42  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

then  placing  a  dry  one  of  about  the  same  size  upon  it,  and  so  on, 
the  dry  split  will  absorb  the  excess  of  water  from  its  mate,  and 
after  lying  in  a  pile  and  being  well  covered  with  wet  scoured  leather 
for  twenty-four  hours  they  will  be  found  in  good  condition  for  the 
stu£6ng  wheel. 

STUFFING. 

For  each  batch  of  200  pounds  of  dry  splits  thus  prepared  we  will 
have,  according  to  the  usual  test,  300  pounds  of  sammied  splits. 
Fill  the  steam  jacket  kettle  with  grease  in  the  following  propor- 
tions :  To  every  ninety  pounds  of  brown  grease  add  ten  pounds  of 
English  degras.  This  is  for  cold  weather  stufl&ng.  During  the 
summer  season  nearly  all  brown  grease  may  be  used.  Tallow  and 
white  stearine  may  be  substituted  for  brown  grease  by  tanners  who 
are  somewhat  skeptical  in  the  general  introduction  or  in  combin- 
ing with  other  greases,  but  the  writer  does  not  have  the  least  hesi- 
tation in  recommending  it,  as  he  has  experience  through  long  use, 
and  for  reasons  more  fully  explained  in  a  previous  chapter.  No 
light  oils  of  whatever  nature  should  be  used.  Where  heavy  greases 
alone  are  used,  there  need  be  no  fear  of  getting  in  too  much.  To 
produce  a  desirable  flesh  split,  every  portion  of  it  should  be  com- 
pletely filled  with  grease  of  such  body  to  fill  the  cells,  on  the  same 
principle  that  astringent  bark  liquors  are  used  for  filling  and  pro- 
ducing fine  and  fairly  firm  leather. 

It  is  seldom,  we  find,  that  two  different  tannages  of  leather  will 
carry  the  same  amount  of  grease,  consequently  the  stuffer  will  need 
to  exercise  his  judgment  as  to  the  amount  applied  in  the  first  batch. 
To  be  on  the  safe  side,  be  sure  and  get  in  enough  ;  if  the  splits  do 
not  entirely  absorb  it,  the  excess,  when  setting  can  be  slicked 
off  and  used  over  again  without  loss.  The  writer's  rule  has  always 
been  to  use  one  pound  of  grease  to  every  pound  of  dry  scoured 
splits.  Therefore  we  will  put  into  the  wheel,  after  it  has  been 
steamed  up  to  a  temperature  of  140  degrees  F.,  and  the  grease  in 
kettle  same  temperature,  the  200  pounds  of  dry  splits,  or  300  pounds 
of  sammied,  200  pounds  of  grease,  and  run  the  wheel  for  thirty 
minutes.  Throw  off  the  belt  and  open  the  door,  then  start  it  again 
in  motion,  and  run  for  a  few  moments  to  cool  off.  If  it  is  then 
found  that  the  splits  have  failed  to  absorb  the  grease,  the  operator 
should  first  satisfy  himself,  whether  the  condition  of  the  leather  or 
that  of  the  tannage  was  the  cause,  and  govern  himself  accordingly. 
The  heavier  the  tannage,  the  greater  amount  of  grease  will  the 
leather  carry.     The  splits  should  be  scattered  around  for  a  few 


SPIRIT  FINISHING. 


moments,  and  then  be  allowed  to  stiffen  up  before  giving  them  to 
the  setters. 

SETTING   AND    DRYING. 

Set  them  firmly  to  the  table  on  each  side,  by  the  use  of  the  steel 
slicker,  but  be  careful  not  to  have  the  edge  of  the  tool  too  sharp, 
for  by  so  doing,  a  good  percentage  of  the  grease  within  the  cells, 
will  be  forced  out,  particularly  should  the  splits  be  fairly  warm, 
after  coming  from  the  wheel,  where  they  have  been  submitted  to 
such  a  high  temperature  as  is  necessary  to  force  the  grease  in. 
The  drying  may  be  done  by  either  hanging  on  sticks  or  nails.  The 
better  way  is  to  stick  two  splits  together,  flesh  to  flesh,  then  cut  a 
small  incision  in  the  top  shoulder  portions  near  the  back  strip,  and 
hang  them  up  on  nails.  This  method  will  prevent  a  too  rapid  dry- 
ing, and  not  only  protect  the  flesh  from  dust  and  dirt,  during  the 
drying  process  in  open  lofts,  but  will  produce  a  rich  mellow  surface 
when  dry,  and  when  pulled  apart,  the  whitener  will  readily  distin- 
guish the  difference  by  the  cheesy,  from  the  harsh  cutting,  where 
the  splits  are  dried  singly.  Splits,  like  all  stuffed  leather,  should 
dry  slowly  and  without  great  exposure  to  heat,  light  or  air. 
When  so  dried,  pack  them  in  piles  and  let  them  remain  well  cov- 
ered for  a  few  days  before  whitening.  The  whitening  can  be  more 
scientifically  performed  by  the  use  of  the  slicker,  than  by  the  head 
knife.  They  are  first  ' '  roughed  ' '  off"  the  entire  surface,  commenc- 
ing from  the  center  and  working  toward  the  butt,  then  reverse  the 
split,  and  whiten  the  shoulder  portion,  taking  off"  any  remaining 
flesh.  Should  any  of  the  veins  be  too  prominent,  cut  them  down, 
as  recommended  in  a  previous  chapter  on  shaving.  After  the 
roughing  off,  a  finer  edge  to  the  slicker  is  produced  on  the  clean- 
ing stone,  and  then  the  snuffing  process  is  commenced  by  a  right 
and  left  motion,  from  back  to  flank,  severing  the  fibers  and  pro- 
ducing a  smooth  silky  nap  on  which  to  finish. 

FINISHING. 

The  first  of  the  numerous  manipulations  to  which  the  splits  are 
subjected  during  the  finishing,  is  the  trimming  off"  of  ragged  and 
thin  portions,  should  any  of  the  latter  have  escaped  the  attention 
of  the  trimmer,  in  the  splitting  and  setting  room.  To  give  char- 
acter to  the  splits,  also,  straighten  the  backs.  Then  place  them 
singly  on  the  cork  table,  with  the  grain  or  back  uppermost,  and 
soft-board  them  at  an  angle  from  the  hind  shank  to  the  shoulder, 
and  if  they  are  too  firm  at  this  stage,  board  them  again  straight  up 
and  down.     This  adds  greatly  to  the  feeling  and  color  of  the  back, 


44  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

giving  a  uniform  lemon  shade,  more  particularly  wherein  gambier 
is  used  in  connection  with  bark  in  the  retanning.  After  soft- 
boarding,  take  them  to  the  jack  machine,  the  steel  tool  of  which 
must  be  perfectlj^  smooth  and  rounding  at  the  edges,  and  then  slick 
them  on  the  back  side.  This  will  not  only  give  a  lustre  to  the 
backs,  but  will  settle  the  fibers  together,  greatly  aiding  the  glasser 
when  glassing  out  the  black.  There  should  be  no  paste  or  sizing 
used  on  the  backs  before  jacking,  as  that  tends  to  harden  the  split 
and  also  to  discolor  the  backs.  The  heavy  grease  within  the  split 
will  furnish  all  the  sizing  necessary  to  produce  a  good  lustre,  and 
rich,  mellow  feeling.  The  splits  are  then  in  good  condition  for 
blacking  and  glassing  on  flesh  side. 

BLACKING,    GUM   AND   PASTE. 

Before  proceeding  to  the  blacking  it  will  be  well  to  make  some 
blacking,  paste  and  gum,  which  latter  will  be  needed  soon  after. 
The  former  is  considered  superior  when  made  ahead,  as  it  will  im- 
prove by  age.  I  have  used  nearly  all  substitutes  for  soap  blacking, 
but  find  nothing  better  than  common  laundry  soap,  in  the  propor- 
tions of  one  pound  of  soap  and  one  pound  of  lampblack  to  every 
two  gallons  of  water.  First  cut  the  soap  in  thin  slices,  add  water, 
or  bark  liquor — the  latter  preferred — and  steam  them  until  the  soap 
is  fully  dissolved.  Then  add  the  lampblack,  by  first  breaking  it  up 
in  the  pound  paper  packages  with  a  flat  stick,  holding  the  paper 
of  lampblack  in  the  left  hand  and  flaying  it  with  the  other  until 
reduced  to  a  fine  powder  which  is  free  of  lumps.  Then  put  the 
black  into  the  liquid  soap  gradually,  stirring  it  until  all  the 
blacking  is  in,  and  then  reduce  to  the  required  consistency.  Under 
no  circumstances  should  the  lampblack  be  steamed  up  or  boiled 
with  the  soap.  If  this  is  done,  your  blacking  will  be  soggy  and 
lifeless.  When  made  as  directed  the  blacking  should  be,  when  cool, 
of  the  consistency  of  heavy  molasses  or  bark  extracts,  and  of  a 
sparkling  black. 

FLOUR    PASTE. 

For  every  gallon  of  soft  water  used,  take  one  quart  of  the  best 
flour — patent  flour  preferred — and  one-fourth  pound  of  common 
hard  soap,  and  one-half  pound  of  cake  tallow.  Patent  flour  sift- 
ers, holding  just  one  quart,  will  be  found  convenient  for  this  work, 
for  by  dropping  the  sifter  into  the  barrel  and  giving  to  it  a  rotary 
motion  the  flour  is  readily  sifted  and  measured.  Put  the  quantity 
of  flour  needed  in  a  pail  and  mix  it  with  soft  water,  being  careful  not 
to  get  in  too  much  water  until  after  the  flour  has  been  well  kneaded 


FLESH  SPLIT  FINISHING.  45 

by  hand  or  by  a  stick.  Then  reduce  the  batter  by  uniting  with  it 
the  required  amount  of  water.  Cut  the  soap  and  also  the  tallow 
into  thin  pieces  and  put  them  into  the  flour.  For  cooking  it  a 
small  jacket  steam  kettle  is  preferred,  but  if  it  is  not  at  hand  blow 
direct  steam  into  the  pail  or  keg,  but  allowance  should  be  made 
during  the  cooking,  say  of  twenty  minutes,  as  during  that 
time  there  will  be  nearly  one  quart  of  condensed  steam  added  to  it. 
Cook  slowly,  until  the  flour,  soap  and  tallow  are  thoroughly  united 
and  the  paste  assumes  the  consistency  of  a  thick  jelly.  During 
the  cooking  cover  the  keg  with  a  head  which  has  a  hole  bored  in 
center  for  admitting  the  steam  pipe,  then  cover  the  keg  with  a  stout 
cloth. 

GUM. 

This  being  the  last  ingredient  used  in  the  finish,  I  will  conclude 
the  list  before  commencing  on  the  blacking.  Gum  tragacanth  is 
chiefly  employed  by  curriers  in  securing  a  final  finish  to  the  leather 
after  being  glassed  out  of  the  paste.  The  best  is  the  cheapest.  To 
make  a  ten-gallon  crock  one  pound  of  gum  will  be  ample,  add  suf- 
ficient water  at  the  outset,  and  stir  it  occasionally,  for  when  com- 
mencing to  dissolve  it  will  pack  in  solid  lumps.  The  older  it  is  the 
better.  It  will  ferment  in  the  early  stages,  then  it  will  commence  to 
ripen  up,  and  be  in  condition  to  use.  It  should  be  put  in  soak  at 
least  for  two  weeks  before  it  is  fit  to  use,  and  if  allowed  to  remain 
two  months  so  much  the  better.  The  mode  of  mixing  with  paste 
will  be  given  as  we  proceed  in  the  finishing. 

BLACKING   AND    GLASSING. 

The  splits  are  now  matched  and  piled  on  the  blacking  table, 
heads  to  butts,  and  flesh  up,  until  some  fifty  to  seventy-five  are 
thus  arranged.  The  blacking  is  then  applied  with  an  oval-shaped 
bristle  brush,  and  should  be  put  on  in  moderate  quantities  and  well 
brushed  in.  Immediately  after  a  duplicate  brush,  free  of  blacking, 
is  used  to  rub  over  the  surface,  and  should  any  particles  of  grease 
adhere  to  the  split,  remove  them  and  cover  the  spots  before  giving 
them  to  the  glasser. 

Hang  up  for  a  few  moments  or  until  about  five  splits  are  blacked, 
before  glassing,  to  temper  them,  so  that  the  fiber  and  tanned  gela- 
tine may  be  firmly  settled  together.  An  expert  blacker  will  not 
smear  the  back  or  grain  side  during  the  process,  and  he  should  be 
encouraged  in  this  cleanly  process,  as  a  good  clean  back  to  a  fin- 
ished split  is  one  of  the  attractive  features  of  the  buyer  and  a  sign 
of  good  workmanship.     The  great  trouble  with  many  blackers  is, 


46  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

that  they  put  on  too  much  blacking,  which  has  a  tendency  to  open 
up  the  split  and  neutralize  the  grease,  besides  leaving  it  in  a  baggy 
condition.  The  glassing  is  then  done  on  a  table  in  close  proximity, 
having  a  leather  bolster  pasted  on  or  confined  to  the  top  of  it.  The 
glasser  should  also  have  at  hand  a  brush,  or  sponge,  saturated  with 
blacking,  and  should  any  red  spots  show  up  in  this  glassing  he 
could  then  go  over  them.  The  first  strokes  of  the  glass  should  be 
vigorous,  and  when  the  nap  is  well  settled,  go  over  lightly  again, 
removing  all  marks  of  the  tool,  and  then  hang  the  splits  up  to  dry. 
It  is  advisable  to  dry  them  fully  before  proceeding  to  the  pasting. 

PASTING  AND   GI.ASSING. 

Put  one  split  at  a  time  on  the  table.  Take  a  clean,  soft 
sponge,  dip  it  into  the  paste  and  rub  it  well  into  the  split.  Pasting, 
the  same  as  in  blacking,  requires  but  little  material  to  go  over  the 
split,  and  unless  it  is  well  rubbed  in  will  present  a  streaked  appear- 
ance when  dry,  and  not  infrequently  will  crack  and  peel  of.  The 
proportions  of  tallow,  used  in  the  paste,  will  partially  obviate  this, 
and  at  the  same  time  give  to  the  surface  a  rich,  greasy  feel,  which 
is  so  desirable.  It  will  also  prevent,  in  a  measure,  the  objection- 
able bright  finish  and  harsh  feeling  that  follows  the  use  of  flour 
and  soap.  If  the  shop  is  warm,  or  the  air  clear,  it  will  require  but 
a  few  moments  to  dry  or  temper  the  splits,  when  they  should  be 
taken  down  and  packed  on  a  table,  or  horse,  until  a  sufficient  num- 
ber is  pasted  and  ready  for  oiling. 

OILING,    GLASSING   AND   GUMMING. 

Unless  the  stuffer  has  failed  to  get  the  full  quota  of  grease  in 
the  wheel,  I  should  object  strongly  to  the  application  of  oils,  at  this 
stage,  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  open  up  the  splits  after  spending  so 
much  time  and  care  in  settling  them  together.  But  where  insuffi- 
cient grease  is  used  in  the  first  stages  it  will  be  found  necessary  to 
give  them  a  dressing  of  warm  oil  on  the  black  after  they  have  been 
pasted.  For  this  purpose  use  70  per  cent  of  cod  oil,  and  30  per 
cent  of  paraflfine  oil,  mixed,  and  apply  this  mixture  with  a  sheep- 
skin swab,  giving  the  butt  portions  the  greater  dose.  Pack  them 
in  a  pile  on  the  table,  black  to  black,  there  to  remain  until  the  oil 
is  fully  absorbed  ;  then  glass  them,  going  over  the  pasted  surface 
with  moderately  light  strokes  with  the  glass,  or  with  strokes  just 
enough  to  break  the  crust,  and  produce  a  slight  polish  on  which  to 
give  the  final  dressing — gum.  For  this  finish,  take  about  70  per 
cent  of  dissolved  gum  tragacanth,  and  30  per  cent  of  flour  paste, 
as  used  in  pasting.     Mix  and  strain  through  coarse  toweling,  then 


FLESH  SPLIT  FINISHING.  47 

reduce  it  to  the  consistency  of  cream,  and  where  possible  to  secure 
condensed  steam,  or  rain  water,  use  them  in  all  kinds  of  pastes  and 
dressings,  also  in  making  blackings  for  wax  or  grain  leathers.  The 
gumming,  being  the  final  finish,  it  is  equally  important  that  this 
process  should  be  done  by  skillful  hands.  The  sponge  for  this 
work  should  be  soft  as  lamb's  wool  and  not  too  open,  and  should 
also  be  trimmed  on  the  outer  surface.  Never  employ  a  lazy  man 
or  this  work,  as  the  motions  of  the  arm  must  be  rapid,  and  when 
the  sponge  is  once  filled  with  gum  it  should  contain  ample  liquid 
to  go  over  the  entire  split.  He  should  distribute  it  evenly,  and 
when  once  covered,  the  final  touch  in  removing  any  excess  should 
be  straight  across  from  back  to  flanks,  and  then  the  entire  length 
of  the  back  in  one  motion.  Should  a  lusterless  finish  be  desired, 
use  a  little  more  paste  with  the  gum,  or  add  a  few  drops  of  cod  oil. 
This  is  a  very  popular  finish  with  manufacturers  making  fine  shoes. 
After  the  splits  are  gummed  and  dried,  pack  them  on  the  table  for 
the  assorting  and  classifying.  At  this  stage  they  will  be  submitted 
to  the  thumbing  and  pinching  process,  but  the  more  they  are 
handled  the  better  will  they  feel  and  look.  The  imprints  of  the 
finger  may  be  traced  on  the  rich,  cheesy  surface,  but  there  will  be 
no  marring  or  breaking  through  the  finish  by  severe  handling  if 
finished  according  to  the  above  directions.  The  splits  are  p^it  up  in 
packages  of  one  dozen  each,  and  are  placed  butts  to  butts,  and 
black  to  black  as  far  as  possible,  backs  outward,  so  that  in  handling, 
the  flank  portions  will  be  protected.  Make  the  several  classifica- 
tions as  recommended  at  an  earlier  stage,  and  place  the  initials  on 
each  package. 


48 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


Bark  Shed^, 


Q 
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O 


« 

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I    JM 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  TANNERIES.  40 

CHAPTER  VI. 

CONSTRUCTION   OP   TANNERIES. 

To  illustrate,  and  make  comparisons  from  old-time  methods, 
it  will  be  necessary  at  this  juncture,  to  construct  an  im- 
aginary tannery.  The  writer  is  aware,  however,  that  he 
will  be  trespassing  on  forbidden  ground  when  undertaking  to  dic- 
tate the  style  of  construction.  What  would  apply  to  the  city  tan- 
ner would  not  equally  well  apply  to  the  country,  so  far  as  relates  to 
the  material  employed,  but  the  interior  arrangements  need  not  ma- 
terially differ.  In  the  country  or  in  the  backwoods,  where  bark  is 
cheap  and  lumber  can  be  had  for  the  sawing,  the  building  can  be 
constructed  at  comparatively  little  expense  to  what  is  required  in 
Chicago  or  other  large  cities,  for  instance,  where  frame  buildings 
are  prohibited.  The  country  tanner,  when  contemplating  building, 
first  looks  to  find  a  running  stream  of  pure  water  ;  in  the  city,  along 
the  banks  of  some  river  or  on  the  lake  shore.  It  is  immaterial  in 
these  days  of  steam  power,  which  has  largely  displaced  water  as  a 
motive  power  for  grinding,  the  bark  and  milling  the  hides,  whether 
a  tannery  be  located  on  a  stream  or  water- fall.  It  is  quite  essential, 
however,  that  direct  communication  may  be  had  with  brooks,  lakes 
and  rivers,  for  a  bounteous  supply  of  water  for  use  in  beam-house 
and  tannery,  as  also  to  convey  away  the  impurities,  unless  where 
conflicting  with  city  or  town  ordinances,  regarding  public  health 
laws.  It  is  advisable  to  erect  the  tannery  buildings  at  a  sufficient 
distance  from  the  streams  and  upon  slightly  elevated  ground  as  a 
precaution  against  freshets  and  inundations. 

The  usual  custom  has  been  to  excavate  to  the  depth  of  the  pits 
to  be  sunk,  but  the  more  practical  tanner  now  constructs  his  tannery 
partially  above  ground.  This  is  first  broken  and  leveled,  the  foun- 
dation should  be  built  on  a  level,  or  possibly  some  two  feet  below 
the  surface,  to  conform  to  the  immediate  surroundings.  The  pits 
should  be  built  and  sunk  before  the  building  is  erected.  This  work 
is  the  most  important  in  the  construction  of  a  tannery,  and  partic- 
ular attention  should  be  given  to  preparing  the  foundation.  The 
junk  for  receiving  the  partially  spent  liquors  from  the  pits  should 
be  located  where  free  access  may  be  had  at  all  times,  and  placed 
below  the  bottom  level  of  the  pits  some  eight  to  ten  feet,  and  fully 
that  size  in  diameter.  This  junk  may  be  built  of  brick  and  ce- 
mented, or  a  wooden  tank  may  be  substituted,  sunk,  and  thoroughly 


50 


LEATRER  MANUFACTURE. 


puddled  with  finely  kneaded  clay  at  the  bottom  and  entire  circum- 
ference. No  care  or  expense  should  be  spared  in  this  work  when 
building.  Thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  liquors  are  run  into  this  re- 
ceptacle annually,  and  should  a  leak  occur,  it  is  not  easily  ascer- 
tained, nor  is  it  convenient  to  make  needed  repairs  after  it  has  once 
been  set  in  place. 

When  the  junk  is  in  position,  the  next  thing  in  order  will  be  to 
make  connection  with  the  liquor  log  conveyors,  that  run  to 
each  course  of  pits  at  the  bottom,  and  each  of  which  is  connected 
to  the  header  or  cross  log,  running  at  an  angle  with  the  junk.  The 
timber  used  may  be  of  pine  or  poplar,  as  desired,  and  in  all  sizes. 
The  logs  should  be  turned  longitudinally  through  the  center,  to 
prevent  checking  and  dry-rot.  These  should  be  selected  with  great 
care,  and  should  be  free  from  cracks  and  seams,  and  the  ends  firmly 
clamped  with  iron  bands.  The  logs  are  then  driven  to  a  shoulder 
to  secure  a  perfect  water-tight  joint.     The  connections  made,  the 


SQUARE   I^IQUOK   PIPES. 

logs  should  be  laid  in  clay  and  well  puddled,  before  the  sections 
of  the  pits  are  set  in  position.  Much  depends  on  the  foundations 
of  pits,  which  should  be  as  solid  as  when  building  an  imposing 
structure.  If  the  base  is  solid,  and  the  strain  equalized,  there  will 
be  no  setting  thereafter,  to  be  followed  by  opening  of  seams  in  pits 
and  conveyors.  In  addition  to  the  log  conductors,  hemlock 
timbers,  six  by  eight  inches,  should  be  set  every  two  feet  apart, 
thereby  securing  a  solid  groundwork  for  the  pits.  The  timbers 
ought  also  to  be  protected  from  decay,  by  free  use  of  clay,  well 
puddled,  so  that  air  or  water  will  not  penetrate.  Clay  will  prevent 
leakage  and  protect  the  wood,  if  properly  applied,  but  if  put  within 
the  sections  by  careless  workmen,  and  not  well  mixed  and  puddled, 
it  is  no  better  tban  so  much  tan-bark. 

The  question  l:as  bee:i  frequently  asked  :      "  What  is   the  safest 


CONSTUCTION  OF  TANNERIES.  51 

and  most  economical  style  of  pits  ?  "  There  is  the  old-time  "  box  " 
pit,  and  the  frame  pit,  better  known  as  the  ' '  Buffalo  ' '  pit,  from 
the  fact  of  its  having  been  first  adopted  in  that  city.  The  writer 
has  had  experience  with  both  methods,  and  has  no  hesitation 
in  giving  his  unqualified  approval  for  the  latter,  and  for  the  fol- 
lowing reasons  :  First,  in  economy  ot  timber  and  space  ;  second, 
it  requires  no  clay  between  the  pits,  and  should  any  leakage  occur 
between  the  partitions,  the  liquor  is  not  lost,  as  by  the  old  method ; 
third,  where  clay  is  used  in  the  intersections,  and  the  pit  is  not 
liquor-tight,  the  constant  oozing  out  of  clay  (inside  leakage) 
through  the  seam  into  the  liquors,  stains  the  leather  and  gives  it 
an  unsightly  appearance.  Therefore  the  preference  is  given  for 
the  "  Buffalo"  method,  and  for  purposes  of  illustration  this  will  be 
adopted. 

"  BUFFALO  "    PITS. 

The  foundation  as  prepared  was  for  this  style  of  pit,  and  having 
secured  a  solid  bearing  and  acquired  connections  from  conveyors 
to  junks,  the  next  operation  will  be  to  make  a  solid  plank  flooring, 
closely  jointed.  Hemlock  planks,  when  not  too  shaky,  are  prefer- 
able to  pine,  and  can  be  procured  at  much  less  price.  The  planks 
should  be  fully  three  inches  thick,  and  laid  irregularly,  breaking 
joints,  so  that  the  bearing  may  be  more  uniform,  and  should  then 
be  spiked  to  the  timbers,  care  being  taken  not  to  spike  into  the  log 
conveyors.  It  is  the  custom  with  some  builders  to  lay  only  this 
one  planking  ;  then  make  a  calking  joint  with  oakum.  Others  pay 
less  attention  to  the  first  flooring,  except  to  secure  a  firm  founda- 
tion. After  the  staves  are  jointed  and  set  up  and  keyed  by  a 
' '  wedge  plank, ' '  a  second  flooring  is  sprung  in  ;  this  is  made  of 
one-inch  dressed  pine  boarding  and  jointed,  and  is  then  laid  so  as 
to  break  joints  in  the  flooring  below.  This  latter  plan  is  safe  and 
gives  a  strong  support  to  the  staves  in  the  grooves  cut  into  the  hem- 
lock planking,  and  after  being  calked  in  bottom  and  comer  seams, 
the  pit  will  be  tight  as  a  bottle.  It  should  be  mentioned  that  after 
the  first  planking  is  laid,  an  alignment  is  made  at  angles  with  the 
dimensions  of  the  pits  and  outside  the  edge  of  convej^or  leading  to 
the  junk.  Grooves  are  then  cut  out,  the  thickness  of  the  planks 
full}^  one  inch  deep,  that  the  staves  may  be  inserted  endwise.  This 
groove  should  be  just  over  the  outer  edge  of  bottom  conveyor,  so 
that  space  may  be  had  to  bore  through  the  flooring  into  the  con- 
veyor, which  should  be  well  in  the  comer  of  each  pit.  A  per- 
fect-fitting thimble   is   then   driven    through    and   into   the   con- 


52  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

veyor,  making  a  tight  joint.  The  last  stave  that  is  set  up  on  the 
sides  and  ends  of  each  pit  is  wedge-shaped,  and  is  "  driven  home  " 
with  a  sledge  hammer,  after  which  the  staves  are  securely  nailed 
at  the  bottom  and  the  second  flooring  put  in  as  mentioned.  The 
tops  are  then  supported  by  planking  of  sufficient  width,  to  afford  a 
foot  passage  over  the  yard.  These  pits  may  be  made  double  or 
single,  as  best  suits  the  wishes  or  the  class  of  stock  the  tanner  is 
making. 

By  using  this  style  of  pits,  the  conductors  leading  from  the 
leaches  can  be  placed  directly  under  the  floor  capping  of  the  pits, 
and  require  no  setting  in  clay,  thereby  being  constantly  exposed  so 
that  the  attendant  may  readily  discover  any  leakage.  The  pits 
should  be  filled  with  water,  if  bark  liquor  is  not  at  hand,  as  soon  as 
set  up  and  calked  ;  this  will  swell  the  joints  and  prevent  their  ris- 
ing through  force  of  surface  water,  and  if  spent  tan-bark  can  be 
procured,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  dump  into  each  a  cart-load,  and 
let  it  remain  therein  until  the  pits  are  wanted  for  use,  as  it  will  tan 
the  woodwork  and  save  so  much  fresh  bark  later  on. 

The  pits  being  in  position,  the  outer  sides  and  the  ends  must  be 
protected  from  leakage  and  decay,  therefore  it  will  be  necessary  to 
construct  a  lining  or  chamber  for  the  clay.  This  is  done  by  using 
pointed  scantlings,  which  should  be  driven  about  two  feet  below 
the  bottom  of  the  pits,  and  then  lay  strips  of  rough  boarding  hori- 
zontally on  the  inside  of  supports,  one  above  the  other  as  the 
finely  mixed  clay  is  run  in  and  well  puddled.  It  will  be  a  good 
economy  to  pay  a  trusted  man  $5  per  day,  to  walk  around  and  see 
that  this  work  is  scientifically  performed,  than  trust  it  to  incom- 
petent men  or  bosses,  who  look  more  to  the  quantity  than  qual- 
ity of  the  work. 

The  writer  has  a  case  in  point  wherein  a  tanner  built  on  too  eco- 
nomic principles,  which  well  illustrates  the  old  adage,  of  "saving 
at  the  spig  and  opening  wide  the  bunghole."  He  consulted  an 
expert  builder  for  building  and  setting  the  old-time  ' '  box ' '  pits, 
together  with  conveyors  to  and  from  leaches  and  junk.  The  price 
given  was  reasonable  for  good,  honest  material  and  labor.  The 
tanner  then  received  the  bid  from  a  second  party,  a  carpenter  ;  his 
figures  being  one  dollar  less  per  pit,  he  secured  the  contract.  The 
pits  were  made  in  the  old-fashioned  way,  and  were  clayed  in  the 
intersections,  as  also  in  the  foundation  bed.  The  clay  as  used  was 
barely  moistened,  and  thrown  in  indiscriminately, — an  attempt  was 
made  at  puddling  by  the  application  of  water  and  an  inexperi- 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  TANNERIES.  53 

enced  man,  at  the  end  of  a  puddling  stick.  The  tannery  pits  were 
completed  to  the  apparent  satisfaction  of  the  owner  and  contractor. 
One  hundred  dollars,  or  thereabouts,  were  saved  directly  by  the 
operation,  but  to  the  writer's  knowledge,  thousands  were  sacrificed 
through  leakage  in  the  pits  and  conveyors.  A  portion  of  the  liquor 
also  found  its  way  into  the  junk,  trickling  along  beside  the  bottom 
conveyors,  and  became  cloudy  from  coming  in  contact  with  the  clay, 
thereby  greatly  discoloring  the  leather. 

This  important  branch  of  the  work  should  not  be  trusted  to  in- 
experienced persons.  The  clay  for  this  purpose  should  be  as 
thoroughly  ground,  or  kneaded,  as  that  used  for  the  manufacture 
of  bricks  or  earthenware.  For  the  intersections  reduce  it  to  the 
consistency  of  mortar,  and  then  puddle  it  well,  so  that  every  pore, 
niche  and  defect  in  the  woodwork  may  be  filled,  thereby  prevent- 
ing leakage  and  decay.  Ten  dollars  extra  outlay  at  this  stage  will 
save  the  tanner  hundreds  in  the  long  run,  and  the  knowledge  of 
having  tight  pits  will  make  his  sleep  more  refreshing,  especially  at 
a  time  when  margins  are  so  close  in  the  leather  manufacture. 

If  contemplating  having  finishing  shops  above  the  tannery  it  is 
quite  important  that  the  foundation  be  solid  and  of  stone,  with 
brick  walls  from  the  basement  up,  but  if  the  tannery  is  to  be  inde- 
pendent of  the  finishing  shops,  as  it  should  be,  then  one  story  com- 
posed of  wood  with  gravel  roofing  will  be  found  to  fully  answer  the 
purpose,  and  can  be  built  at  comparatively  small  cost.  There  will 
then  be  no  necessity  for  laying  a  stone  foundation.  Piles,  lo  to  12 
inches  in  diameter,  and  20  feet  long,  are  set,  or  driven  into  the 
earth  fully  five  feet,  and  about  eight  feet  apart,  to  conform  to  the 
plans  of  the  building.  The  alignment  secured,  a  capping  of  hem- 
lock timber  is  then  mortised  and  set  upon  the  piling  and  firmly  se- 
cured with  pins,  and  then  roofed  with  a  slight  pitch  towards  the 
center,  the  whole  supported  by  trestle  work,  thereby  dispensing 
with  the  objectionable  supports  or  uprights  placed  within  the  tan- 
nery, which  not  infrequently,  when  supporting  a  structure  of  three 
or  more  floors,  warps  the  foundation  of  pits  and  conveyors.  Nu- 
merous sky-lights  should  be  placed  on  the  roof,  and  so  arranged 
that  they  may  be  opened  and  closed  at  the  will  of  the  workmen 
within.  The  same  style  of  building  may  be  made  of  stone  or  brick. 
When  of  piles,  the  boarding  is  placed  on  the  outside,  after  having 
first  secured  a  smooth  facing  and  alignment  of  the  piles,  then 
shingled  and  clapboarded.  On  the  inside,  as  a  protection  from  cold 
and  anchor  frost,  place  sheathing  paper  from  pile  to  pile,  and  pro- 


54  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

tect  the  same  by  rough  boarding  extending  to  the  roof  capping. 
Many  tanners,  when  building  of  wood,  fill  the  intersections  with 
tan-bark.  This  is  a  mistaken  policy  and  very  destructive  to  the 
tannery  buildings.  Tan-bark  attracts  moisture,  and  when  wet  and 
dry  at  intervals,  dry-rot  will  soon  be  noticeable  on  timbers  and 
sheathing,  and  repairs  demanded.  Tannery  buildings  of  the  above 
plan  of  construction  can  be  built  at  very  moderate  expense,  afford- 
ing ample  light  and  ventilation  to  the  workmen,  as  also  a  durable 
structure. 

INTERIOR  ARRANGEMENTS. 
The  beam-house  and  tannery  proper  should  be  under  one  and  the 
same  roof,  but  with  ample  space  between  the  lime  and  liquor  pits 
to  prevent  the  flow  or  spattering  from  one  to  the  other,  it  being  a 
well-known  fact  that  lime  and  tannic  acid  are  the  greatest  enemies 
the  tanner  has  to  contend  with.  The  soaks  and  limes  should  be  in 
a  continuous  line,  or  in  sections,  and  directly  in  front  of  the  beam- 
hands.  These  pits  are  built  on  the  same  principle  as  those  in  the 
tannery,  but  in  place  of  a  junk  to  receive  the  waste  lime  and  water, 
it  is  conveyed  through  drains  to  the  sewer  or  passed  off  directly 
into  a  brook  or  river. 

MACHINERY. 

The  machinery  on  this  floor  may  consist  of  wash-wheels,  hide- 
fleshing  or  working  machines,  bate-wheels,  handling- wheels,  liquor 
pumps,  lime-reels,  a  pate-splitting  machine  and  grindstone.  The 
main  line  of  shafting  from  the  engine  room  should  be  aligned  with 
a  view  to  connect  with  beam-house  and  tannery,  so  that  connec- 
tions can  be  made  without  too  free  use  of  counter- shafts  or  of  run- 
ning the  belts  a  long  distance.  The  handling-wheels  in  the  tan- 
nery should  be  in  close  proximity  to  the  bate  and  wash- wheels,  so 
that  the  hides  may  be  transferred  from  one  to  the  other  without 
unnecessary  labor  or  expense.  In  sole  leather  tanneries  the  same 
rule  will  apply,  as  also  for  the  acid  baths,  which  should  be  next  in 
line  to  the  handling-wheel  with  a  view  to  having  no  retrograde 
movements.  The  hides,  when  going  from  the  beam-house,  should 
continue  their  journey  through  the  tannery  without  being  forced  to 
advance  and  retreat,  as  has  often  been  noticed  in  tanneries  where 
no  system  is  adopted,  and  where  one  man's  time  and  many 
hours  in  the  process  is  lost  in  making  connections. 

I,EACH   HOUSE. 

The  building  for  protecting  the  leaches,  wherein  the  bark  is  de- 
posited after  coming  from  the  mills,  should  be  entirely  separate 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  TANNERIES^ _55 

from  the  tannerj%  but  within  a  few  feet  of  it,  and  connected  by  sev- 
eral apertures,  enabling  the  liquor  attendant  to  pass  from  one  to  the 
other  readily  when  changing  his  liquors.  This  building  can  be 
constructed  at  little  outlay,  and  on  the  same  plan  as  the  tannery, 
of  piles  and  sheathed  inside  and  out.  The  width  must  comply 
with  the  diameter  of  leaches  desired,  the  height  to  be  fully  twelve 
feet,  and  the  roof  slightly  pitching,  graveled,  and  containing  nu- 
merous sky-lights.  The  leaches  should  be  set  on  a  solid  foundation. 
After  excavating  to  a  sufficient  depth  to  guard  against  frost,  fill  in 
the  space  with  broken  stones  to  the  level  of  the  ground  ;  then  make 
a  strong  cement  and  unite  the  whole  top  surface,  giving  a  slight 
pitch  toward  the  yard,  and  on  the  inner  edge  place  a  box  drain 
which  should  lead  to  the  liquor  junk.  This  cemented  foundation 
will  be  a  preventive  against  waste  through  leakage  or  bursting  of 
leaches,  as  also  of  accumulation  of  surface  water  under  the  leaches, 
thereby  preventing  the  woodwork  from  decay.  When  the  founda- 
tion is  secured,  place  in  position  heavy  timbers  8x8  inches  length- 
wise, and  from  three  to  five  feet  apart,  according  to  diameter  of 
leaches.  This  basis  applies  to  the  setting  of  round  or  oval  leaches. 
There  is  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  which  style  of  leach  is  the 
most  durable  and  economical.  The  square-box  leach,  built  on  the 
same  principle  as  the  old-time  box  pit,  is  used  in  many  tanneries. 
The  first  cost  exceeds  that  of  the  round  or  oval  leach,  and  unless 
thoroughly  made  and  set  with  clay  in  the  chambers  it  will  cause  a 
deal  of  trouble  and  waste  by  leakage.  It  is  then  found  a  difficult 
matter  to  repair  the  leaks ;  frequently  they  are  built  of  brick  ani 
are  cemented,  but  even  then  there  is  a  possibility  of  further  annoy- 
ance from  tannic  acid  coming  in  contact  with  the  lime  and  cement, 
each  of  which  has  a  tendency  to  discolor  the  leather.  The  writer's 
experience,  and  that  of  many  others  who  have  used  both  kinds, 
have  been  in  favor  of  the  round  leach  for  the  following  reasons  : 
First,  a  saving  of  time  and  timber  in  the  construction  ;  second, 
they  can  be  built  outside  the  tannery  and  set  in  position  at  short 
notice  and  without  the  use  of  clay  ;  third,  should  any  leakage  oc- 
cur it  may  readily  be  discovered  by  the  attendant,  and  easily 
stopped  by  tightening  the  hoops.  It  is  advisable,  when  making  the 
foundation  for  the  leaches,  to  prepare  for  contingencies,  in  the  mat- 
ter of  leakage  particularly.  Very  frequently  it  has  happened  that 
first-run  liquors  are  entirely  lost  by  a  defective  stave  used  in  the 
construction,  or  caused  through  dry-rot.  The  writer  has  had  this 
experience,  and  in  many  cases  it  happened  at  night.  This  loss  may 


56  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

be  greatly  obviated  wben  setting  tbe  foundation  as  recommended. 

CONSTRUCTION  OP  LEACHES. 

The  material  employed  may  be  of  hemlock,  common  or  Norway 
pine ;  the  former,  where  clear  and  from  young  trees,  will  make  a 
durable  leach.  Norway  pine  is  preferable  to  our  common  pine  and 
need  not  be  clear,  only  the  knots  must  be  sound.  But  when  good 
hemlock  can  be  secured,  like  that  grown  at  the  East,  which  is  less 
shaky  than  the  Western  hemlock,  it  is  used  very  extensively  for 
building  pits  and  all  coarse  work  in  tanneries  and  dwellings,  and 
will  outwear  the  best  pine  timber.  The  length  of  staves  should 
not  exceed  seven  feet — six  feet  is  preferable  for  the  easy  pitching 
out  of  the  spent  bark — and  six  inches  wide,  sawed  from  two-inch 
planks,  the  bevel  to  conform  to  the  diameter  of  the  leach  required. 
These  are  made  to  contain  from  two  to  ten  cords  of  ground  bark  ; 
no  increased  strength  of  staves  or  hoops  will  be  necessary  for  the 
larger  sizes,  but  an  additional  thickness  of  bottom  planking,  in  all 
three  inches.  Then  the  bottom  planking  should  be  supported  by 
a  solid  foundation  composed  of  three  6x8  timbers,  running  cross- 
wise the  first  timbers,  as  also  the  plank  leach  bottom,  the  front 
bottom  support  to  be  increased  to  6xio  inches  to  conform  to  the 
pitch  of  cemented  foundation.  There  must  be  no  bearing  what- 
ever on  the  chimes ;  this  oversight,  when  setting  leaches,  has  in 
numerous  instances  caused  great  loss  of  liquor  and  inconvenience. 
When  making  the  bevel  to  conform  to  the  circle  it  is  better  that 
the  sawed  edges  be  left  in  the  rough  condition,  rather  than  that 
they  should  be  planed  off  smoothly  for  a  finish,  for  when  setting 
up  and  drawn  together  by  the  hoops  a  tighter  joint  can  be  secured. 

Some  opposition  to  the  round  leach  has  been  given,  for  reason 
of  its  short  life,  compared  to  the  box  leach,  which  has  been  set 
and  puddled  with  clay  in  the  sections.  Three  to  four  years  have 
been  about  the  average  time  of  service  of  the  round  leach,  as 
usually  set  up.  By  being  exposed  to  the  changes  of  temperature 
in  the  tannery,  and  wet  through  overflow,  the  staves  will  soon  show 
signs  of  dry-rot  and  become  treacherous  ;  to  all  appearance  on  the 
qe,  to  utside  staves  are  sound,  but  by  constant  use  and  great  pres- 
sure from  bark  and  liquor  within,  will  give  away  suddenly  and  un- 
expectedly, and  not  infrequently  runs  of  liquor  have  been  lost  be- 
fore a  remedy  could  be  applied. 

The  above  has  been  the  writer's,  and  I  have  no  doubt  other  tan- 
ners have  had  similar  experiences.  He  determined  not  to  be  again 
the  victim  of  such  waste  under  the  circumstances,  and  commenced 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  TANNERIES.  57 


to  rebuild  as  fast  as  any  of  the  leaches  showed  signs  of  dry-rot,  and 
upon  a  more  thorough  method,  both  in  the  material  and  for  the 
protection  of  them  when  put  together.  For  timber,  Norway  pine 
was  employed,  as  good  sound  hemlock  could  not  be  secured  in  the 
locality.  After  the  staves  were  sawed  and  beveled,  and  before  set- 
ting up,  he  procured  some  cold  tar,  porgee  fish  oil  and  red  ochre  ; 
this  oil  is  far  preferable  to,  and  less  expensive  than  linseed  oil,  and 
withal  of  a  gummy  nature.  The  tar  and  oil  were  thoroughly 
cooked  in  a  steam  jacket-kettle,  then  the  ochre  was  added  to  give 
color  and  body,  and  care  was  taken  not  to  have  the  mixture  of  too 
great  body  as  to  crack  or  peel  off  when  dry.  For  applying  the 
mixture  a  wide  painter's  brush  was  used,  putting  it  on  hot  to  the 
joints  of  each  stave  when  in  the  act  of  putting  them  together,  as 
also  to  the  bottom  joints  and  outside  bottom  surface  with  a  good 
coat,  as  access  could  not  be  had  to  those  portions  when  the  leach 
was  set  in  place.  The  staves  were  then  set  up  and  the  iron  hoops 
placed  thereon  and  the  whole  drawn  together.  Four  hoops  are 
required,  consisting  of  three-fourths  inch  round  iron,  with  flanged 
ends  turned  outwards,  in  which  are  drilled  one-half  inch  holes, 
with  right  and  left  hand  threads.  The  flanged  ends  should  not 
come  together,  leaving  some  five  inches  space  for  taking  up,  and 
making  allowance  for  shrinkage  of  the  leach.  A  key,  or  iron 
coupling,  six  inches  long  with  square  shoulder  in  center,  was  then 
inserted  and  the  wrench  applied,  when  the  several  joints  were 
made  water-tight.  Then  a  good  coat  of  the  hot  mixture  was  ap- 
plied to  the  outer  surface  and  hoops,  which,  when  hardened, 
formed  a  glossy  coating,  thereby  preventing  moisture  from  entering 
the  staves  from  without.  The  tannic  acid  will  preserve  the  inside 
wood  work  when  filled  at  inter\^als.  The  expense  of  labor  and 
materials  did  not  exceed  two  dollars  per  leach.  If  any  portion 
should  become  worn,  it  should  at  once  be  replenished,  and  the 
leaches  will  continue  sound  for  ten  years.  With  this  experience, 
the  round  leach  is  recommended  for  more  general  use  as  a  matter 
of  economy  and  convenience. 

A  little  paint  and  elbow  labor  will  save  much  money  in  repairs, 
every  3'ear,  in  and  around  the  tannery,  at  a  few  dollars'  outlay. 
If  any  tool  or  machine  is  worth  the  purchasing,  it  is  also  worth 
preserving.  The  tannery  buildings  may  be  preserved  and  orna- 
mented by  a  little  outlay,  and  it  requires  no  artistic  painter  to  per- 
form the  work.  Any  common  hand,  with  a  little  instruction  in 
the  mixing  of  material,  will  cover  more  surface  per  day  than  an 


58  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

old  painter  would  on  coarse  work.  For  outside  painting,  use  the 
same  materials  as  applied  to  the  leaches,  with  the  exception  of  tar, 
and  where  the  real  porgee  fish  oil  is  used,  the  paint  will  wear  longer 
than  that  made  from  linseed  oil  and  white  lead. 

When  the  leaches  are  in  position,  the  false  bottoms  should  be 
made  to  fit  perfectly  without  strain,  and  rest  upon  bearings  3x4 
inches,  placed  crosswise  to  the  bottom  joints  ;  previous  to  secur- 
ing the  boarding,  coarse  hay  or  straw  should  be  packed  between 
the  two  bottoms,  to  allow  the  liquor  to  strain  off"  before  passing 
into  the  conveyors  and  pits.  The  false  bottom  is  then  irregularly 
perforated  with  one-eighth  inch  holes,  to  aid  the  percolation  of  the 
bark  liquor  when  drawing  off  for  use.  Where  the  bark  is  ground 
too  fine,  a  thick,  muddy  liquor  will  collect  in  the  leaches  and  clog 
the  outlets,  and  unless  the  above  precaution  is  taken  it  goes  into 
the  pits,  tending  to  discolor  the  leather  and  fill  up  the  pores  of  the 
hides,  thereby  checking  the  ready  penetration  of  the  tannic  acid. 
The  purer  the  liquors,  the  clearer  and  more  desirable  will  be  the 
complexion  of  the  stock,  and  less  labor  will  be  required  to  remove 
the  bloom  in  scouring. 

After  the  leaches  are  set  and  aligned,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
make  connections  with  the  conveyors  leading  to  the  pits.  These 
logs  are  placed  within  a  few  feet  of  the  leaches,  in  a  parallel  line, 
or  within  the  tannery,  and  connected  by  cross  logs  leading  to,  and 
directly  under,  the  front  edge  of  the  leaches,  and  connected  to 
them  by  a  thimble  driven  through  an  opening  three  inches  in 
diameter  in  the  bottom,  making  a  liquor-tight  joint.  These  con- 
veyors need  attention  in  the  setting,  giving  to  them  a  firm  and 
uniform  foundation.  Should  the  location  require  them  to  be 
placed  in  the  ground,  they  must  be  well  puddled  with  clay,  the 
same  as  when  placed  below  the  pits.  Where  the  press  system  is 
required,  the  connections  from  bottom  to  top,  and  from  one  leach 
to  the  other  may  be  done  at  little  expense.  By  this  system  purer 
liquors  are  obtained,  and  the  density  may  be  regulated  according 
to  the  will  of  the  attendant.  In  sole  leather  tanneries,  wherein 
the  liquors  are  doubled  and  trebled,  and  where  it  is  not  desirable  to 
run  them  into  the  junk  to  mix  with  the  weaker  and  impure,  con- 
nections are  made  direct  with  the  conveyors  and  liquor  pump,  and 
the  first  run  is  pumped  over  on  a  freshly  ground  leach ;  by  this 
method  liquors  of  thirty-five  to  forty  degrees  density  are  obtained 
for  the  packing  and  final  finish  in  the  "layaways." 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  TANNERIES.  ;VJ 


111  coiinection  with  the  construction  of  leaches  and  press  system, 
it  is  very  important  that  ample  pumping  capacity  may  be  had  in 
the  tannery.  By  this  means  little,  if  any,  heat  will  be  required  in 
leaching  the  bark,  for  the  reason  that  a  greater  number  of  runs 
may  be  obtained  ;  in  fact,  the  flow  should  be  practically  continual 
from  leaches  to  pits,  for  in  this  manner  the  tannin  can  be  extracted 
more  readily  from  the  bark,  yielding  purer  and  sweeter  liquors  than 
when  applying  steam  and  securing  but  one  or  more  runs  daily. 
For  the  final  run  clear  water  should  be  used,  and  steamed  up  to 
wash  out  that  portion  held  in  solution,  and  this  product  run  over 
in  a  freshly  ground  leach. 

BARK    MILLS. 

The  bark  mills,  cutters,  crushers,  and  liquor  pumps,  ought  to  be 
stationed  where  convenient,  at  the  head  of  the  leach  system,  and 
the  conveyors,  either  by  endless  chain  or  by  floating  the  bark  by 
spent  liquor,  be  built  on  a  direct  line  with  the  leaches.  The  leach 
house  is  supposed  to  be  on  the  back  side  of  the  tannery  and  within 
a  few  steps  of  the  back  section  of  liquor  pits.  The  endless  chain 
has  this  advantage  over  the  floating  system — that  the  spent  bark 
can  be  conveyed  to  the  boiler-room  for  fuel.  The  conveyor 
in  this  case  leading  from  the  bark  mills  should  be  located  over,  and 
resting  on,  the  center  of  the  leach  system,  having  slide  bottom 
traps  through  which  to  deposit  the  ground  bark  into  the  several 
leaches.  The  return  conveyor  is  then  placed  on  a  line  wnth  the 
back  staves  without  resting  on  them,  where  one  continuous  line  of 
leaches  are  built,  but  when  in  pairs,  the  conveyors  for  each  work 
should  be  placed  in  the  center.  The  intersections  between  the  leaches 
should  also  be  covered  by  a  tight  board  flooring,  on  a  level  with  the 
top  staves,  so  that  the  spent  tan-bark  may  not  collect  or  accumu- 
late at  the  bottom  foundation,  as  this  oversight  will  surely  aid  in 
producing  destructive  drj'-rot.  The  wood  must  be  kept  either  con- 
tinually wet  or  dry,  to  preserve  it,  and  while  it  would  be  impracti- 
cable to  keep  the  outside  surface  submerged,  it  will  be  found  advan- 
tageous to  allow  no  accumulations  to  gather  around  them,  but  in- 
stead, free  play  should  be  given  for  a  draft  of  air  at  sides  and  bot- 
tom. If  there  is  an  excess  of  spent  bark  not  needed  for  fuel,  it  can 
be  pitched  from  the  leaches  through  slide  windows  into  the  open 

space  beyond. 

ENGINE  AND   BOILER   HOUSE. 
The  engine  and  boiler  rooms  should  be  within  eas^^  access  to  the 
beam-house,  the  bark  mills  and  other  tannen-  appliance?,  but  they 


m  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

should  be  built  entirely  of  brick  or  stone,  and  separated  from  the 
other  buildings.  For  generating  steam,  tubular  boilers  of  large 
diameter  in  shell  and  tubes  are  more  economical,  although  the  first 
cost  may  be  considerably  higher  than  flue  boilers  ;  they  require  but 
small  space,  comparatively,  and  the  wet-tan  ovens  may  be  connec- 
ted, without  utilizing  any  more  space  than  required  for  the  tubular 
boilers  alone.  When  the  stack  is  of  sufficient  height,  the  wet-tan 
oven  can  be  dispensed  with  ;  this  also  incurs  an  additional  item  of 
expense  at  the  outset,  but  in  the  long  run  it  is  a  practical  and  pro- 
fitable investment.  Fan  blowers  may  also  be  dispensed  with  when 
more  attention  is  paid  to  building  the  smoke-stack.  Make  the  flue 
of  large  capacity,  and  extend  the  stack  to  correspond  with  the  dia- 
meter of  flue  and  the  surroundings.  When  putting  in  new  boilers, 
engines,  or  machinery,  it  is  better  and  more  economical  to  double 
the  capacity  of  that  first  required,  than  to  tear  down  and  increase 
your  power  a  little  later.  There  are  but  few  tanners  and  others, 
but  have  made  this  error  when  first  building.  The  expense  of  run- 
ning a  fifty-horse  boiler  and  engine  is  not  much  above  that  of 
twenty-five  or  thirty,  and  where  fuel  can  be  had  so  cheaply,  it  should 
be  given  more  consideration,  particularly  among  tanners,  when 
putting  in  machinery.  It  ought  also  be  the  aim  to  make  the  tan- 
nery comfortable  and  attractive  to  the  workingmen  engaged  ;  light, 
sunshine  and  good  ventilation  are  the  chief  requisites  in  the  work- 
shops, but  in  the  drying  lofts,  the  two  former  must  be  practically 
dispensed  with,  and  reliance  placed  in  indirect  ventilation  to  pro- 
duce good  merchantable  leather  that  will  please  the  eye,  as  also 
the  sense  of  feeling,  which  will  be  dwelt  upon  more  fully  later  on. 

SPIvlTTING   AND    FINISHING   SHOPS. 

The  building  for  this  work  should  be  at  a  reasonable  distance 
from  the  tannery  to  lessen  the  risks  by  fire  from  one  to  the  other, 
particularly  where  land  can  be  had  at  a  reasonable  price.  A  minia- 
ture railway  may  be  built  from  the  tannery  to  skiving  and  splitting 
room  at  little  expense,  and  the  leather  transferred  by  an  open  truck 
car  to  the  elevator  and  taken  to  the  lofts  for  sammieing.  The  ad- 
vantages, in  lessened  cost  of  insurance,  will  largely  repay  the  extra 
cost  of  transfer.  A  single  story  tannery,  in  case  of  a  fire,  would  result 
in  but  little  injur>'  to  the  leather  in  the  pits,  but  if  it  should  be  built 
three  or  more  stories  above  the  tannery,  and  those  saturated  with 
grease,  the  result  may  be  imagined  in  case  of  fire,  should  the  entire 
upper  floors  and  roofing  fall  to  the  pits  in  a  burning  mass.  The  origin 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  TANNERIES.  C'l 

of  fires  in  many  tanneries  is  through  friction  in  the  bark  grinding 
machinery.  Fire  so  generated  is  communicated  to  the  accumula- 
ted bark  dust,  saturated  with  oil  from  the  heavy  bearings.  For  this 
reason  I  would  urge  the  setting  up  of  bark  mills  in  a  fire-proof 
room,  which  is  well  protected  from  fire  by  a  liberal  supply  of  rubber 
hose  connected  with  the  steam  pump,  which  is  constantly  kept 
read.y  for  immediate  use.  The  finishing  shops  should  be  built  with 
a  view  to  strength  and  solidity,  and  as  far  as  practicable  to  being 
fire-proof.  Within  this  building  most  of  the  heavy  machinery  is 
placed,  and  the  floor  timbers  need  to  be  strong  and  well  braced 
throughout.  The  first  floor  or  basement  should  at  all  events  be 
built  of  brick  or  stone,  as  the  wet  work  in  scouring,  dampening  and 
shaving  is  there  performed,  but  when  constructed  of  wood  a  dry- 
rot  soon  collects,  and  in  a  surprisingly  short  time  the  supports  near 
the  foundation  walls  require  overhauling,  and  an  entire  new  re- 
placement of  timbers  and  sheathing.  On  this  floor  the  skiving, 
splitting,  shaving,  and  scouring  will  be  performed,  as  also  the  drum 
wheels  for  preparing  the  leather  for  splitting  and  for  retanning  it 
in  sumac,  gambler,  or  extracts.  There  will  be  required  the  belt 
knife  and  union  splitting  machines,  scouring  and  knife-grinding 
machines,  this  latter  to  be  enclosed  in  a  tight  partitioned  room, 
so  that  the  emery  dust,  when  converted  into  flour  in  grinding  the 
knives  will  not  come  in  contact  with  it  and  discolor  the  leather. 

The  length  of  this  building  may  be  governed  by  the  capacity  of 
the  tannery,  but  the  width  ought  not  to  exceed  35  feet,  and  this 
width  will  equally  well  apply  to  large  and  small  tanneries.  Where 
the  shop  is  too  wide,  the  leather  will  not  dry  as  readily  in  the  sam- 
mieing,  stufiing,  or  finishing,  neither  will  there  be  as  uniform 
light  throughout.  The  workmen  must  necessarily  have  their  tables, 
machines  and  stakes  near  the  walls  and  windows,  to  obtain  suffi- 
cient light,  the  more  central  portions  should  be  reserved  for  racks 
for  hanging  the  leather,  particularly  above  the  first  floor  in  the  fin- 
ishing and  stuffing  rooms.  When  setting  heavy  machines,  such 
as  the  belt-knife  and  scouring  machine,  a  firm  foundation  should 
be  first  secured  by  excavating  some  two  or  three  feet,  and  then 
stone  or  heavy  timbers  should  be  placed  within,  so  that  vibration 
or  settling  of  the  framework  will  not  delay  or  cause  imperfect  work. 
The  finishing  shops,  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  average  tanner, 
should  consist  of  four  departments,  viz. :  The  first,  for  wet  work, 
as  described  ;   the  second,  for  finishing  exclusively,  as  also  for  the 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


several  machines  for  the  work  ;  the  third,  for  stuffing,  setting 
whitening,  buffing  and  trimming  ;  also  the  stuffing  wheels,  steam 
jacket  kettles,  oil  and  grease ;  the  fourth,  or  upper  floor,  for  the 
sammieing  of  leather,  for  splitting  and  drying  scoured  leather  and 
splits.  This  latter  work  can  be  done  without  extra  expense  in  the 
handling,  where  steam  elevators  are  employed,  and  which  no  tan- 
nery of  any  magnitude  would  be  considered  complete  without. 
These  labor-saving  inventions,  where  more  than  one  are  required, 
are  usually  placed  at  each  end  of  the  building,  but  where  only  one 
is  needed  the  center  is  more  desirable  for  general  work, 

SOLE  LEATHER. 
For  sole  leather  tanneries,  two  or  three  floors  will  be  ample  for 
drying  and  finishing.  The  first  floor,  or  basement,  to  receive  and 
oil  the  leather,  when  coming  from  the  tannery  ;  also  the  scrubber, 
for  cleansing  the  leather ;  on  this  floor,  too,  the  rolling  machines 
should  be  placed,  thereby  securing  a  solid  foundation,  so  impor- 
tant for  this  work  ;  in  close  proximity  to  the  rollers,  the  dampening 
tub  and  air-tight  compartments,  for  packing  in  the  leather,  after 
dampening  for  the  ripening  process.  Upon  this  floor,  also,  will  be 
ample  room  for  piling  the  leather,  after  being  dried  and  rolled,  as  it 
is  well  known  that  sole  leather  will  improve  in  quality  on  the 
ground  floor  or  basement,  where  an  even,  cool  temperature  is 
maintained.  The  two  upper  floors  to  be  devoted  to  offices  and  dry- 
ing exclusively. 

HEATING   AND   DRYING. 

In  no  department  is  more  attention  demanded  than  to  the  drying 
of  leather,  particularly  stuffed  leather  for  finishing,  also  for  sole 
leather,  when  preparing  for  rolling,  and  rough  leather,  when  get- 
ting it  in  readiness  for  the  market.  In  olden  times,  and  one  has  not 
to  go  back  many  years,  open  lofts,  or  those  with  shutters  and  win- 
dows, were  the  rule  ;  no  precaution  was  taken  against  an  excess  of 
light  and  air,  or  protection  from  frost.  The  leather  was  frozen 
and  thawed  according  to  the  temperature  of  the  weather ;  artificial 
heat  was  seldom  used,  and  the  result,  in  dog  days  or  wet  weather, 
was  mouldy  and  spotted  leather  ;  in  winter,  open,  loose  and  spongy, 
according  to  the  severity  of  the  weather,  as  great  loss  in  weight  is 
caused  by  freezing  and  thawing.  In  those  days  it  was  a  common 
expression  among  tanners  that  ' '  one  good  freezing  was  equal  to  a 
layer  of  bark  "  to  slack-tanned  leather  ;  this  was  true,  as  far  as  kill- 
ing the  hide  and  rendering  the  leather  more  pliable,  and,  at  the 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  TANNERIES.  03 

same  time,  imparting  a  light  color,  but  when  taking  into  consider- 
ation the  loss  in  weight  and  quality,  it  was  an  expensive  method, 
and  now  but  few,  if  any,  tanners  follow  that  rule.  Freezing  is 
beneficial  to  some  kinds  of  stock  wherein  weight  and  fineness  of 
finish  is  not  desirable,  as  in  sheepskins,  in  linings  and  russets,  and 
for  collar  leather.  Sole  leather  is  now  dried  in  as  many  days  as  it 
formerly  required  weeks,  and  with  great  improvements  in  color  and 
quality.  Numerous  appliances  have  been  adopted  by  tanners  to 
facilitate  the  drying,  which  has  frequently  been  done  at  great  ex- 
pense. This  is  quite  important  with  sole  and  rough  leather  tan- 
ners, because  the  condition  of  the  leather,  when  going  into  the  lofts, 
is  so  much  different  from  that  destined  to  be  finished  into  wax 
upper  and  grain  leathers.  The  long  time  required  was  a  waste  of 
money,  and  was  no  small  sum  to  a  large  tanner,  in  the  course  of 
the  year.  Artificial  heat  is  preferable  to  natural,  as  it  can  be  reg- 
ulated to  suit  the  will  of  the  tanner.  Air  is  also  an  important 
agent ;  this  can  be  obtained  in  an  artificial  way  without  the  aid  of 
steam  power,  and  upon  the  same  principle  as  a  draught  is  created 
in  the  smoke-stack. 

Lofts  for  drying  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  admit  of  little  light, 
and  that  indirectly.  The  windows  should  be  shaded  with  blinds, 
or  curtains,  and  closed  for  fresh  leather  drjdng.  The  steam  pipes 
to  consist  of  five  or  more  courses,  and  arranged  one  above  the  other, 
supported  by  cast-iron  hooks  and  attached  to  the  inside  walls, 
having  a  moderate  pitch,  suSicient  to  drain  off  when  not  in  use. 
In  the  center  of  the  lofts  are  to  be  ventilators,  connecting  with  the 
ground  floor,  extending  to  and  above  the  roof  fifteen  to  twenty  feet, 
according  to  location  of  tannery.  Openings,  with  slide  traps,  to  be 
inserted  near  the  floor  of  the  several  lofts.  For  instance,  a  build- 
ing IOC  feet  long  would  require  five  or  six  ventilators,  15x20  inches, 
outside  measure.  See  that  the  openings  in  ventilators  are  made  on 
a  level  with  the  floor,  running  perpendicularly  fully  twelve  inches, 
and  eight  inches  horizontally,  with  slide  inserted  to  open  and  close 
at  the  will  of  the  operator  ;  there  should  also  be  slides  the  full  dimen- 
sions of  the  ventilator  running  horizontally,  on  a  level  with  the 
floor,  to  shut  oS"  communication  with  one  or  more  floors  if  neces- 
sary. It  is  a  mistaken  idea  to  ventilate  a  room  from  the  top,  or 
ceiling,  as  the  pure,  hot  air,  being  so  much  lighter,  will  readily 
pass  off,  while  the  damp,  impure  air  will  remain  at  the  bottom. 
With  the  temperature  of  the  lofts  maintained  at  65  to  70  degrees 


64  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

Fahrenheit,  the  heat  from  the  steam  pipes  will  naturally  radiate 
towards  the  center,  where  a  constant  and  uniform  circulation  is 
created  and  maintained,  by  the  escape  of  damp  air  through  the  con- 
veyors. By  this  method  the  time  can  be  lessened  one-half  over 
the  ordinary  way,  thereby  obviating  the  necessity  of  admitting  a 
current  of  air  from  without,  which  is  so  objectionable  to  color  and 
quality.  Steam  pipes  are  frequently  placed  directly  under  the 
hanging  leather,  and  are  secured  to  the  floor.  One  might,  with 
equal  propriety,  place  a  wet  boot  near  a  hot  stove. 

hide;  house. 
It  is  highly  important  that  the  hide  house  be  built  independently 
of  the  tannery  and  finishing  shops.  It  should  be  of  stone  or  brick 
and  of  one  story,  with  graveled  roofing.  Within  this  building  there 
will  be  at  times  large  numbers  of  hides,  representing  many  thou- 
sands of  dollars  in  value.  It  should  be  sufficiently  roomy  to  store, 
assort  and  trim  the  hides  for  the  several  classifications  intended. 
Space  should  be  provided  to  put  the  hides,  when  not  fully  cured, 
into  packs  with  salt  until  such  lime  as  they  may  be  wanted  for  use. 
In  the  preceding  pages  on  the  erecting  of  tannery  buildings  the 
writer  endeavored  to  so  arrange  the  several  departments  that  in  case 
of  fire  there  would  not  be  that  general  destruction  of  property 
which  would  result  in  a  tannery  where  the  finishing  shops,  engine 
and  boiler  rooms  were  under  one  roof.  The  former  high  rates  paid 
for  insurance  on  tannery  property  where  the  buildings  were  so  con- 
structed were  the  means  of  causing  decided  changes  in  the  construc- 
tion with  those  who  built  at  a  later  period  and  upon  a  more  mod- 
ern style.  Now,  with  the  more  solid  and  fire-proof  structures,  and 
having  all  the  appliances  at  hand  for  extinguishing  fires,  the  rates 
of  insurance  have  been  reduced  from  four  to  two  per  cent  and  in 
some  instances  to  even  less  rates.  It  would  be  found  difficult  for  a 
small  tanner  of  limited  capital  to  indulge  in  these  advantages,  or 
we  may  say  luxuries,  in  having  a  place  for  everything  and  every- 
thing in  its  place.  But  of  late  years  the  tanning  industry  has  wit- 
nessed radical  changes  from  old-time  methods,  both  in  the  con- 
struction of  tannery  buildings  and  the  concentration  of  capital. 
There  are  fewer  tanners  than  formerly,  but  a  majority  of  those  en- 
gaged conduct  their  business  upon  a  more  gigantic  scale  and  with 
ample  capital  at  their  command.  Therefore  when  the  building  of 
a  colossal  and  model  tannery  is  contemplated  it  should  be  the  aim 
to  "  not  have  too  many  eggs  in  one  basket,"   yet  not  to  cover  so 


CONSTRUCTION  OF  TANNERIES.  65 


much  Space  as  to  incur  needless  expense  in  the  transferring  of 
stock  and  material  from  one  department  to  the  other,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  it  should  be  built  with  a  view  to  lessen  the  risks  by  fire 
and  water.  These  precautions,  though  costing  considerably  more 
at  the  outset,  will  in  the  long  run  well  repay  the  tanner,  besides 
affording  to  him  a  degree  of  pride  and  greater  security  against  loss 
of  sleep  and  capital.  Therefore  I  would  urge  tanners,  when  build- 
ing, to  have  the  hide  house,  tannery  and  other  departments, 
wherein  are  to  be  stored  the  greater  value  in  hides,  leather,  mate- 
rial and  machinery,  built  apart. 

Take,  for  instance,  a  tannery  containing  five  hundred  pits.  That 
number,  when  filled,  represents  50,000  sides  of  leather  and  a  value 
of  $150,000.  Should  the  tannery  be  of  only  one  story  and  the 
walls  be  built  of  stone  or  brick,  the  damage  to  the  leather  sub- 
merged in  the  pits  in  case  of  fire  would  be  trifling  compared  to 
what  would  result  should  the  finishing  and  stuffing  lofts,  compris- 
ing from  five  to  six  floors,  fall  upon  the  tannery  pits  in  a  burning 
mass. 

BARK    SHEDS. 

The  majority  of  tanners  stack  their  bark  in  huge  piles  in  the 
open  air,  roof  and  cover  it  as  when  shingling  a  house,  to  partially 
protect  it  from  the  inclemencies  of  the  weather,  and  it  is  thus  car- 
ried from  one  season  to  another.  It  is  claimed  that  bark  so  piled 
and  exposed  will  depreciate  some  thirty  per  cent  during  the  first 
year.  The  writer  is  not  prepared  to  vouch  for  this  claim  or  even 
one-half  of  it,  but  will  concede  there  must  be  a  loss  of  tannin  on 
the  more  exposed  portions  of  the  stacks  through  frequent  exposure 
to  rain  and  snow.  On  the  other  hand,  where  the  bark  is  piled  in 
sheds,  allowing  the  necessary  ventilation,  it  will  improve  by  age, 
and  personal  experience  has  proven  that  bark  so  covered  and  pro- 
tected and  allowed  to  remain  in  pile  from  one  to  two  years  will 
produce  liquors  of  greater  density  than  new  bark  taken  from  the 
trees  and  properly  seasoned.  Bark  should  not  be  piled  in  large 
stacks  when  wet  or  before  the  sap  is  well  absorbed  through  expos- 
ure to  the  sun  and  air.  The  facilities  for  receiving  bark  dailj^  and 
weekly  directly  from  the  woods  by  rail  and  water  are  such  that 
tanners  have  not,  as  a  rule,  laid  in  the  usual  number  of  cords  dur- 
ing the  peeling  season  to  carry  them  through  the  year.  But  had 
they  ample  shed  room  it  would  be  economy  to  secure  the  year's 
supply  during  and  immediately  after  the  peeling,  for  whatever  is 


66  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

carried  over  by  the  peelers  for  winter  delivery  will  remain  in  the 
woods  almost  unprotected  from  the  elements,  being  merely  packed 
into  rough  piles  some  four  feet  high. 

A  durable  and  fire-proof  style  of  shed  for  this  work  may  be  built 
of  piles  some  forty  feet  long  and  similar  to  those  used  for  tele- 
graph poles.  Sink  the  thicker  ends  into  the  ground  to  sufficient 
depth  to  secure  a  strong  foundation  and  align  them.  Then  nail 
upon  the  outside  of  the  piles  sheets  of  corrugated  iron,  lapping  one 
upon  the  other  about  one  inch.  Continue  this  method  until  reach- 
ing the  roof  capping.  The  roof  may  be  of  the  same  material,  and 
while  not  making  air-tight  joints,  the  sides  and  roof  will  be  practi- 
cally water-tight,  and  what  is  of  greater  importance,  fire-proof  from 
without.  Where  ample  ground  floor  can  be  secured  at  moderate 
cost  it  is  not  advisable  to  construct  the  sheds  of  too  great  height, 
as  it  adds  materially  to  the  cost  of  piling  the  bark.  When  receiv- 
ing the  bark  directly  from  vessels  or  by  rail  the  entire  front  of  the 
shed  should  be  left  open  so  that  easy  communication  may  be  hap 
in  unloading  and  piling.  Sheds  constructed  on  this  plan  can  be 
built  at  comparatively  small  cost,  and  when  painted  to  protect  the 
iron  from  rust  will  make  an  imposing  structure. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


IMITATION   GOAT  AND   BOOT  GRAIN. 

When  imitation  goat,  made  from  cow  hides,  was  first  introduced 
to  the  trade  it  met  with  an  extensive  sale  on  account  of  the  com- 
paratively low  prices  as  compared  to  the  genuine  goatskin.  At 
that  time  finished  goatskins  sold  at  from  thirty  to  forty  cents  per 
square  foot,  while  the  imitations  from  cow  hides  were  made  and 
sold  at  twenty  cents  per  foot,  and  even  at  that  price  afforded  an 
excellent  profit  to  the  makers.  The  writer,  soon  after  the  war, 
made  several  experiments  in  this  direction  by  using  cow  hides  and 
treating  them  in  the  same  manner  in  the  finishing  processes  as 
was  applied  to  goatskins  after  being  tanned  in  sumac.  After  sev- 
eral unsuccessful  attempts  he  was  enabled  to  produce  a  very  desir- 
able piece  of  leather.  It  was  made  in  several  substances  from  two 
to  four  ounces  per  foot,  but  of  a  dry  finish,  which  naturally  aided 
in  producing  a  very  bright  one.  It  was  also  made  into  a  luster 
less  oil  finish  and  a  half  bright  to  suit  the  wants  of  trade. 


IMITATION  GOAT  AND  BOOT  GRAINS.  67 

Tanners  of  calf  and  goatskins  predicted  a  short  life  for  this  new 
style  of  shoe  leather,  but  in  this  they  were  doomed  to  disappoint- 
ment. The  demand  continued  to  grow  as  the  manufacturers  and 
consumers  became  convinced  that  the  wearing  quality  was  equal  to 
that  made  from  goatskins  and  at  about  one-half  the  cost.  From 
that  time  to  the  present  great  improvements  have  been  made,  both 
in  the  tannage  and  finish,  and  now  imitation  goat  and  pebbled 
grain  are  among  the  most  standard  lines  in  the  manufacture  of  fine 
shoes. 

The  class  of  hides  most  suited  for  this  work  are  j'oung  heifers 
and  cows.  Plump  steers  will  produce  coarse  flanks  when  submit- 
ted to  the  numerous  manipulations  of  the  cork  board  in  graining  or 
throwing  up  the  figure  produced  by  the  pebbling  machine. 

The  hides  are  prepared  in  the  beam-house  in  about  the  same 
manner  as  those  intended  for  oil  shoe  grains,  of  which  full  details 
were  given  in  a  previous  chapter.  The  only  change  that  I  could 
recommend  would  be  to  lime  and  bate  the  hides  a  trifle  more  than 
for  oil  grains  or  imitation  calf.  This  being  practically  a  dry  fin- 
ish, no  grease  being  employed,  it  will  be  necessar>'  to  remove  a 
larger  percentage  of  the  gelatine  to  produce  a  tough  and  pliable 
grain  which  will  not  crack  when  finished.  To  overcome  those  ob- 
jections and  to  secure  the  toughness  of  fiber  characteristic  of  goat- 
skins was  the  great  difiiculty  which  tanners  had  to  contend  with 
in  the  early  history  of  imitation  goat.  To  establish  a  reputation 
in  the  manufacture  and  to  produce  uniformity  in  quality  and  fin- 
ish, the  hides  should  not  be  tanned  too  hard  in  the  endeavor  to  se- 
cure weight  as  when  tanning  for  rough  leather.  Many  curriers  in 
the  Eastern  states  purchase  miscellaneous  lots  of  rough  leather  to 
finish  into  imitation  goat,  and  while  an  occasional  lot  may  be  of 
the  desired  tannage  there  will  be  found  others  totally  unfitted  for 
the  work  intended.  This  difierence  is  largely  due  to  low  liming 
and  insufiicient  working  in  the  beam-house  and  in  employing  too 
strong  liquors  and  too  long  time  in  the  tanning. 

The  hides,  when  coming  from  the  beam-house,  are  handled  in 
the  coloring  wheel,  and  are  suspended  on  sticks,  similar  to  the 
methoc?  pursued  with  those  intended  for  oil  grains  or  imitation  calf, 
and  the  regular  routine  of  the  work  in  the  tannery  need  not  differ 
from  what  has  been  given  in  the  first  chapter.  The  time  ma}'  be 
lessened  somewhat,  in  preparing  them  for  splitting,  providing  the 
hides  are  not  over  plump,  and  they  maj^  be  tanned  sufl&ciently  in 


68  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

three  weeks'  time  by  making  numerous  changes  of  hides  and 
liquors.  Frequent  agitation  is  required  for  this  tannage,  for,  un- 
like the  other  styles  treated  upon,  the  grain  is  not  buffed  off  in  fin- 
ishing, which  has  a  tendency  to  produce  a  supple  and  satin  feeling. 

SKIVING   AND   SPLITTING. 

The  leather,  after  coming  from  the  tannery,  is  hung  up  in  the 
lofts  and  sammied  in  the  usual  manner,  and  is  uniformly  damp- 
ened and  trimmed.  It  is  then  placed  upon  a  table,  or  on  a  round- 
ing beam,  and  all  imperfections  on  the  grain  side  are  snuffed  off  by 
a  miniature  bufiing  slicker.  The  sides  are  run  in  the  drum-wheel 
for  twenty  minutes  and  then  skived,  either  by  belt-knife  machine 
or  by  hand,  and  are  then  assorted  for  the  splitters.  At  this  stage, 
should  any  of  the  grain  scratches  be  too  deep  or  prominent  on  the 
sides,  they  should  be  selected  out  and  put  into  oil  shoe  grains,  but 
if  they  are  the  desired  pattern,  put  them  into  imitation  calf,  as 
these  latter  styles  have  the  grain  entirely  buffed  off  when  finishing. 
Consequently  a  larger  percentage  of  No.  i  leather  will  be  produced 
then  than  would  have  been  if  all  the  sides  had  been  put  into  imita- 
tion goat.  In  those  sides  thrown  out  for  imitation  calf,  punch  one 
hole  near  the  tail,  and  in  those  intended  for  oil  shoe  grain,  punch 
two  holes.  Presuming  that  those  intended  for  imitation  goat  are 
in  the  majority,  these  need  not  be  marked.  Such  precautions  will 
prevent  mixing  up  during  the  subsequent  manipulations.  The 
several  substances  for  this  work,  which  will  not  materially  differ 
from  the  imitation  calf,  range  from  two  and  one-half  to  four  ounces 
per  square  foot,  and  frequently  as  high  as  five  ounces,  when  used 
for  boot  legging. 

The  splitting  may  be  done  by  either  the  belt-knife  or  union 
machine,  and  when  splitting  extremely  light  leather  it  is  advisable 
to  stone  out  the  flanks  and  heads  on  the  jack-machine.  If  the 
union  machine  is  employed  for  this  work,  the  knife  should  be  ground 
daily,  producing  a  thin,  keen  edge.  When  in  the  machine  the 
edge  should  be  "fiddled"  up  frequently,  thereby  preventing  the 
tearing,  or  bursting,  of  the  sides  when  passing  through  the  ma- 
chine. When  the  heads  and  flanks  are  well  stoned  out  before 
splitting,  it  is  important  that  those  portions  be  taken  down  to  a 
thinner  substance  than  the  body  portion,  for  when  pebbled  and 
grained  up  with  the  cork  board,  the  figure  will  be  less  prominent, 
and  it  will  favorably  compare  with  that  produced  on  the  fine  and 
firmer  body  portion  of  the  leather.      The   thinner  the  leather  is 


IMITATION  GOAT  AND  BOOT  GRAINS.  69 


Split,  a  smaller  and  finer  figure  will  be  produced  in  graining,  and 
as  the  flanky  portions  are  not  used  for  vamps  of  shoes,  but  princi- 
pally for  toppings  and  button-fly  pieces,  those  parts  will,  when 
thin  and  soft,  have  more  value  for  that  work  than  if  they  had  been 
of  greater  substance, 

SHAVING. 

It  is  more  important  when  making  imitation  goat  that  the  entire 
surface  of  the  side  should  be  shaved  over  with  the  head-knife  than 
it  is  for  the  other  styles  of  finish,  which  we  have  treated  upon.  By 
so  doing  a  nap  is  raised  on  the  flesh,  which  not  only  makes  the 
flesh  more  attractive,  but  in  producing  the  nap  the  harsh,  crusty 
feeling  of  the  flesh  is  broken,  imparting  a  supple  feel  to  the  sides. 
Again,  should  there  be  any  uneven  spots  produced  through  care- 
less workmanship  in  splitting  and  trimming,  it  would  be  found 
difl&cult  at  a  later  stage  to  produce  as  uniform  and  prominent  a  fig- 
ure in  pebbling  and  graining.  Therefore,  for  this,  work,  I  would 
advise  shaving  the  entire  split  side,  both  lengthwise  and  crosswise. 
This  work,  properly  done,  will  cost  about  4  cents  per  side,  or  the 
same  price  that  is  paid  for  splitting. 

RETANNING   AND   SCOURING. 

It  is  well  known  that  hemlock-tanned  leather  will  not  produce 
as  lasting  a  black  on  the  grain  as  oak  or  sumac  tannage  will  do. 
It  will  grow  rusty  by  age.  Consequently  for  the  double  purpose 
of  procuring  a  more  attractive  color  to  the  flesh,  and  prepare  the 
sides  to  secure  a  lasting  black,  we  will  employ  sumac  exclusively 
in  the  retanning.  Curriers  who  make  this  class  of  leather  from 
miscellaneous  lots  and  tannages  of  rough  material,  will  find  the 
following  method  of  decided  advantage  to  them  when  endeavoring 
to  produce  something  near  a  uniformity  in  color  and  tannage,  and 
at  comparatively  little  expense. 

The  drum- wheel,  as  has  been  previously  described  in  the  first 
chapter  of  the  series,  is  constructed  the  same  as  the  stufl5ng-wheel, 
but  without  steam-pipe  connections.  No  tanner,  making  fine  shoe 
leathers,  can  afibrd  to  be  without  one  or  more  of  these  wheels,  and 
they  should  be  set  up  in  the  splitting  and  shaving  room,  and  so  ad- 
justed as  to  make  about  twenty  revolutions  per  minute.  Turn  the 
wheel  so  that  the  door  will  be  at  the  top  of  the  center.  Put  within 
the  wheel  thirty  sides  of  the  shaved  leather  ;  then  put  in  a  com- 
mon water-pailful  of  dry  American  sumac,  and  from  three  to  four 
pailfuls  of  warm  water,  or  what  the  leather  and  sumac  will  fairly 


70  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

absorb,  without  dripping  when  taken  from  the  wheel.  Run  the 
wheel  for  thirty  minutes.  At  the  expiration  of  that  time  the  leather 
will  have  practically  absorbed  the  tannic  acid  in  the  sumac,  and 
the  flesh  will  have  changed  from  the  brown  shade  of  hemlock  to  a 
rich  cream  color,  similar  to  that  produced  by  tanning  goatskins  with 
sumac  exclusive^.  As  they  are  taken  from  the  wheel,  pack  the 
sides  into  boxes  in  the  rear  of  the  scouring  machine  or  table,  and 
let  them  remain  there  for  twenty-four  hours  before  scouring.  By 
this  method  there  will  be  little,  if  any,  waste  of  tannic  acid,  for  by 
lying  in  pile,  the  time  stated,  the  leather  will  have  fully  absorbed 
the  tanning  properties  of  the  sumac,  at  the  same  time  imparting  to 
it  a  mellow  and  elastic  feeling,  and  withal,  a  toughness  of  fiber  that 
cannot  be  produced  by  the  use  of  hemlock  bark  alone. 

SCOURING   AND  SAMMIEING. 

Take  only  a  few  sides  at  a  time  and  immerse  in  a  bath  of  clean, 
warm  water  and  rinse  thoroughly  before  placing  them  on  the  scour- 
ing table.  Scour  upon  the  grain  side  only,  either  by  hand  or  ma- 
chine. Give  the  grain  a  thorough  stoning  that  will  completely  dis- 
tribute the  old  grain  and  remove  the  bloom.  Then  wash  off  the 
grain  with  a  liberal  supply  of  warm  water  from  the  tub,  and  go 
over  it  again  with  a  smooth  steel  slicker,  expelling  the  water  well 
from  the  pores.  Then  fold  it  in  book  form  and  pile  it  at  the  rear 
of  the  table. 

To  guard  against  ' '  grain  cracking  ' '  when  the  leather  is  finished 
it  will  be  necessary  at  this  stage  of  the  work  to  give  the  sides  a 
liberal  supply  of  oil  or  all  they  will  carry  without  its  running  to 
waste.  Take  seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  best  cod  oil  and  twenty- 
five  per  cent  of  paraffine  oil  of  twenty-five  gravity  and  mix  them. 
Place  upon  a  table,! with  the  grain  up,  a  side  of  the  scoured  leather, 
and  give  it  a  good  dressing  of  the  mixture.  Continue  the  process 
until  the  entire  pack  is  oiled,  piling  flesh  to  grain.  This  will  be 
found  a  great  improvement  over  the  old  method  of  solely  oiling  on 
the  grain  side,  and  this  only  as  they  are  taken  from  off  the  scouring 
table,  as  the  flesh  will  aid  in  absorbing  the  excess  of  oil  and  also 
greatly  improve  the  complexion  of  the  flesh,  as  fish  oils  contain  a 
fair  percentage  of  acid,  which  acts  as  a  bleaching  agent  to  the 
leather  when  hanging  up  to  dry.  When  the  pack  is  thus  oiled  fold 
the  sides  in  book  form  and  put  them  into  several  piles  to  prevent 
too  great  a  pressure  that  will  force  out  the  oil,  and  immediately 
take  them  to  the  lofts  for  sammieing.  Suspend  the  sides  from  head 


IMITATION  GOAT  AND  BOOT  GRAINS.  71 


to  tail  on  racks,  and  should  the  delicate  color  of  the  flesh  be  of  fu- 
ture consideration  do  not  admit  too  strong  a  light  to  the  sides,  but 
maintain  a  continuous  current  of  air  in  an  indirect  way  as  sug- 
gested in  the  chapter  on  construction  of  tanneries.  It  will  not  be 
necessar>'  to  dry  out  the  sides  thoroughly  unless  with  a  view  to 
carrying  them  in  stock  for  a  time  before  finishing.  The  temper  of 
the  leather  should  be  the  same  as  that  intended  for  the  wheel  stuff- 
ing process — neither  too  wet  nor  too  dr^-,  but  in  the  condition  that 
ihe  moisture,  by  a  good  pressure  of  the  hands,  may  be  forced  from 
the  pores  and  cells.  This  condition  may  be  better  accomplished  af- 
ter the  leather  is  sammied,  then  uniformly  dampened  and  allowed  to 
remain  in  the  pile,  where  it  is  well  protected  from  the  air  for  twen- 
ty-four hours  before  setting. 

SETTING. 
It  has  been  the  custom  of  many  finishers  to  set  out  this  leather 
on  both  flesh  and  grain,  either  by  hand  or  machine.     But  when 
wishing  to  procure  the  required  elasticity  in  this  class  of  stock  and 
withal  to  preserve  the  former  mellow  feeling  and  presen-e  it  from 
free  "  grain  cracking,"  I  would  advise  setting,  as  in  scouring,  on 
the  grain  side  only.     If  intended  for  a  bright  finish  care  must  be 
taken  that  no  grease  of  whatsoever  nature  comes  in  contact  with 
the  leather  at  this  time.   Pure  oils  may  be  used  with  safety  in  quan- 
tities that  the  leather  will  fairly  absorb,  but  should  tallow  or  other 
heavy  greases  be  used,  either  as  a  "set"  or  upon  the  leather,   it 
will  be  found  impossible  to  produce  a  bright  finish  after  it  is  peb- 
bled and  blooded.     Care  must  also  be  taken  that  the  jointed  staves 
of  the  table  are  snugly  drawn  together  and  faced,  otherwise  \^-hen 
setting  firmly  on  the  table,  and  particularly  on  light  grain  ler.th.':-, 
these  imperfect  seams  will  leave  prominent  lines  across  the  sides, 
from  which,  when  dry,  it  will  be  impossible  to  remove  them  when 
pebbling  and  graining,  but  which,  on  the  contrary,  w^ill  be  thrown 
up  more  prominently.     Before  placing  a  side  on  the  table  take  a 
clean  sheepskin  swab  and  give  to  the  table  a  good    dressing   of 
oil  of  the  same  kinds  and  proportions  as  used    at    the    scouring 
table.     Then  place  the  side  on  the  table,  grain  up,  and  first  re- 
move the    "bag"    with    a   stone    tool   and  carefully    and    thor- 
oughly work  out  the  old  grain  until  the  side  assumes  its  natu- 
ral contour  in  back  strip  and  flanks.     Then  go  over  them  again 
with  a  smooth  slicker,  being  careful  not  to  cause  any  abrasions 
on  the  grain  and  also  to  remove  all  tool  marks  in  the  stoning. 


72  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

Give  to  the  entire  grain  surface  a  good  coat  of  the  oil,  partic- 
ularly on  the  firm  shoulder  and  butt  portions,  with  an  extra 
touch  on  the  brisket.  Then  hang  them  up  to  dry  as  previously 
recommended  for  scoured  leather.    Dry  slowly  and  in  a  dark  room. 

BLACKING, 

The  blacking  for  this  style  of  finish  need  not  be  as  strong  as  for 
oil  grains,  which  are  heavily  stuffed  with  grease.  The  following 
recipe  will  make  a  very  cheap,  durable  and  clean  blacking. 

IMITATION  GOAT  BI^ACKING. 

Take  seven  pounds  of  copperas,  three  pounds  of  gambier  and  one 
ounce  of  nutgalls.  Dissolve  in  two  gallons  of  hot,  soft  water,  and 
pour  the  mixture  into  a  barrel  capable  of  holding  forty -five  gallons. 
Add  forty  gallons  of  soft  water,  condensed  steam  preferred,  and  it  is 
ready  for  immediate  use,  and  at  a  cost  not  to  exceed  one  cent  per 
gallon. 

In  making  all  manner  of  blackings,  dressings,  paste  and  gum,  I 
would  urge  the  use  of  condensed  steam,  or  drip-water  from  the  ex- 
haust, or  steam-heating  pipes,  such  as  those  used  in  and  around  the 
tannery.  This  water  is  much  purer  and  softer  than  rain-water. 
"When  tanners  fully  realize  the  value  of  this  water  for  the  purposes 
mentioned  they  will,  I  feel  confident,  at  once  set  a  barrel  beneath 
the  drip-pipes,  where  they  may  at  all  times  secure  a  liberal  supply. 
When  aiming  to  produce  a  soft,  mellow  feeling  to  the  grain  surface, 
hard  mineral  waters  should  not  be  employed. 

The  sig,  or  logwood,  mordant  for  imitation  goat,  need  not  be  as 
strong  as  used  for  oil  or  boot  grain  leather,  as  there  will  not  be  the 
grease  on  the  surface  to  cut,  to  procure  the  desired  black.  Should 
an  excess  of  logwood  and  sal-soda  be  used  and  applied  in  too  large 
quantities,  the  leather  would  smut  or  crock  on  the  flesh  side  when 
submitted  to  the  numerous  and  severe  manipulations  in  cork  board- 
ing. But  where  care  is  given  to  the  compounding  and  putting  on 
the  sig  and  blacking,  then  a  white  handkerchief  vigorously  rubbed 
over  the  grain  surface,  after  the  leather  is  dry  will  not  become 
soiled.  Hang  up  the  sides  as  they  are  blacked,  and  let  them  remain 
until  they  are  entirely  dry.  The  light  color  to  the  flesh  which  has 
been  jealously  guarded  during  the  previous  handling,  should  not, 
at  this  stage,  be  marred  by  careless  workmanship  when  blacking, 
for  when  finished  it  will  oe  diflBcult  to  discover  traces  of  hemlock 
tannage.  It  is  very  generally  conceded  that  hemlock  tannage  is 
superior  to  oak  bark  or  sumac,  in  so  far  as  producing  fuller  and 


IMITATION  GOAT  AND  BOOT  GRAINS.  73 

finer  flanks,  as  hemlock  lias  greater  packing  properties  than  oak, 
but  when  combined  with  oak  or  sumac  the  harsh  nature  is  de- 
stroyed, and  the  leather  will  more  readily  adapt  itself  to  subse- 
quent handlings  in  the  finishing  shops,  and  in  the  factories  when 
made  into  fine  shoes.  Although  sold  in  the  markets  as  imitation 
goat,  it  is,  in  the  writer's  judgment,  of  superior  wearing  quality  to 
the  real  goatskin,  besides  being  more  flexible  and  yielding  to  the 
feet  of  consumers  when  finished  according  to  the  directions  given. 

TRIMMING    AND    DRESSING. 

When  the  leather  is  dry  trim  off  all  ragged  portions,  and  should 
holes  appear  near  the  flanks  cut  them  out,  for  when  dressing  and 
polishing  they  will  cause  annoyance  by  smearing  the  flesh,  and  will 
tear  when  coming  in  contact  with  the  polishing  tools.  It  is  equally 
important  that  the  ragged  edges  be  removed  before  pebbling  as  the 
pebbling-roll  will  become  clogged  with  fibrous  matter,  thereby  pre- 
venting the  securing  of  a  prominent  figure.  After  being  trimmed 
place  a  batch  upon  the  table,  black  up,  and  go  over  the  grain  sur- 
face, noting  carefully  any  imperfections,  or  those  spots  previously 
snufied  ofi"  in  the  endeavor  to  remove  barb-wire  scratches,  and 
where  they  are  too  prominent  apply  scar  paste  with  a  small  sponge 
and  rub  well  into  those  spots,  being  careful  not  to  cover  more  sur- 
face than  necessary.     The  following  is  a  recipe  for  making  scar 

paste. 

SCAR   PASTE. 

Take  five  ounces  of  granulated  gelatine  and  dissolve  in  one  quart 
of  cold  water,  four  ounces  of  extract  of  logwood,  one-half  ounce 
of  bichromate  of  potassia,  one-fourth  ounce  of  carbonate  of  potassia, 
and  one-eighth  ounce  of  sulphate  of  copper.  Dissolve  logwood, 
potassia,  etc. ,  in  two  quarts  of  hot  water,  mix  it  with  the  gelatine, 
and  stir  until  it  is  thoroughly  united  and  commences  to  congeal. 
When  cold  it  should  be  of  the  consistency  of  jelly. 

When  trimmed,  again  place  a  batch  on  the  table,  black  up, 
and,  with  sponge  dipped  into  warm,  soft  water,  or  condensed  steam, 
dampen  the  grain  until  the  leather  is  in  the  required  temper  to  pebble, 
and  to  prominently  retain  the  print  when  dry.  Again  place  the 
sides  upon  the  table  and  give  to  the  grain  surface  a  black  and  blood 
dressing.     The  blacking  to  mix  with  the  blood,  is  made  as  follows  : 

IMITATION    GOAT    DRESSING. 

Take  eight  ounces  of  extract  of  logwood,  one  ounce  of  bichro- 
mate of  potassia,  and  two  ounces  of  prussiate  of  potassia.     Dis- 


74  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

solve  the  ingredients  in  eight  quarts  of  soft  water  and  set  the  mix- 
ture aside  to  cool  and  settle. 

To  every  gallon  of  the  above  dressing  add  three  quai  ts  of  beef 
blood  and  mix  thoroughly  together.  Take  a  soft  horse-hair  brush 
and  rub  the  mixture  well  into  the  pores  of  the  leather,  and  as  soon 
as  it  is  "  struck  ' '  in  take  the  sides  to  the  pebbling  machine. 

PEBBLING. 

The  character  of  the  print  on  the  pebbling-roll  should  conform  as 
nearly  as  possible  to  the  natural  figure  on  the  grain  of  goat  skins,  as 
it  must  be  remembered  we  are  endeavoring  to  imitate  the  character 
of  goatskins  by  the  use  of  cowhides.  First  see  that  the  machine 
spring-bed  is  properly  adjusted,  and  that  the  pressure  is  fairly 
equalized,  but  without  too  great  a  pressure  at  top  end  of  the  bed. 
Place  the  side  on  the  table,  back  to  the  front  edge,  and  commence 
the  first  strokes  on  the  butt  and  tail,  taking  about  one-half  the 
width  of  the  side  at  each  stroke ;  continue  on  to  the  head,  being 
careful  not  to  make  any  laps  or  omissions  in  the  print,  and  when 
at  the  end  of  the  head  swing  the  side  around  slowly  taking  in  the 
fore  shanks,  thence  to  the  flanks  and  hind  shank,  and  note  results. 
The  first  dressing  of  the  above  mixture  secures  a  good  foundation 
on  which  to  finish,  as  the  heavy  pressure  applied  to  the  roller  will 
force  the  blood  mixture  to  the  pores  and  indentations,  securing  a 
good  basis  on  which  to  throw  up  the  grain  when  cork-boarding. 
As  fast  as  the  sides  are  pebbled  they  should  be  ' '  wet-boarded, ' ' 
which  is  consummated  as  follows  : 

Place  upon  the  finishing  table  a  portable  cork  tcJble,  then  place 
the  side  grain  up,  and  with  the  cork-board,  connected  to  the  right 
arm  of  the  ' '  grainer, ' '  grain  the  side  at  two  angles,  commencing 
at  the  hind  shank  and  continuing  to  the  head,  thence  from  the  butt 
or  tail  to  the  fore  shanks.  These  manipulations  will  throw  up  the 
print  more  prominently,  and  are  termed  "  cutting  the  figure,"  for 
should  this  work  be  done  before  the  sides  were  pebbled  a  larger 
figure  would  be  noticeable,  particularly  on  the  loose  portions,  and 
we  should  fail  to  produce  that  uniformity  of  figure,  so  desirable. 
After  being  wet-boarded,  pile  them  upon  the  finishing  table  and 
give  the  sides  the  second  dressing  of  the  blood  mixture.  If  a  very 
bright  finish  is  desired  use  more  blood  in  the  second  dressing,  say 
equal  parts  of  beef  blood  and  blacking,  and  then  hang  them  up  to 
thoroughly  dry.  In  all  these  manipulations  the  finishers  should 
never  lose  sight  of  that  word  "Cleanliness."     This  simple  word 


IMITATION  GOAT  AND  BOOT  GRAINS.  75 


which  it  is  claimed,  "is  next  to  godliness,"  should  be  printed  in 
large  letters,  and  pasted  upon  the  walls  of  the  tannery  and  finish- 
ing shops.  One  great  advantage  the  French  tanners  have  over  the 
American,  is  in  the  cleanliness  of  their  stock,  and  the  artistic  man- 
ner in  which  they  put  it  up  for  the  market.  Their  skins  are  spot- 
less on  the  backs,  and  as  clean  and  attractive  as  a  shirt  from  the 
laundry.  It  may  seem  ludicrous  to  insist  upon  tanners  cater- 
ing to  fancy,  when  we  take  into  consideration  the  dirtj^  and  disa- 
greeable work  in  producing  leather,  but  when  fancy  is  willing  to 
handsomely  pay  the  cost,  why  not  take  the  same  pride  in  making 
wearing  apparel  for  the  feet  as  in  making  the  clothes  worn  on 
the  body  ?  There  is  no  better  time  than  now  to  pattern  after 
our  foreign  competitors  in  this  respect,  and  when  putting  3^our  sev- 
eral specialties  on  exhibition  at  the  World's  Fair,  in  1892,  you  can 
take  just  pride  in  listening  to  and  reading  the  encomiums  of  praise 
and  awards  made  for  merit,  style,  and  fancy,  if  you  please,  in  your 
products. 

After  the  sides  have  received  their  second  coat  of  dressing,  and 
have  dried  out,  board  them  on  the  grain  again  at  two  angles,  as 
before,  then  soft-board  them  two  ways  on  the  flesh,  commencing 
from  the  belly  and  going  to  the  back,  then  run  them  down  from 
head  to  tail,  when  they  are  in  condition  for  polishing,  and  directly 
afterwards  receive  the  several  grainings  on  both  sides. 

POIvISHING. 

There  are  several  machines  for  this  work  each  of  which  will  per- 
form satisfactory  work  when  managed  by  skillful  hands.  The  tools 
are  made  of  either  lignum- vitae  wood,  highly  polished,  or  of  glass ; 
the  former  is  preferable,  for  should  any  nicks  be  made  in  the  tool 
they  can  be  readily  removed  by  the  use  of  sand-paper.  In  this 
work  the  strokes  should  not  be  too  long,  but  commence  midway  on 
the  side  from  belly  to  back,  and  carry  the  side  along  at  each  suc- 
cessive motion,  and  turn  the  side  the  same  as  in  pebbling  to  the 
flank  portions.  With  the  two  coats  of  dressing  given  the  sides 
there  will  be  produced  by  the  machine  a  highly  lustrous  finish,  but 
the  repeated  strokes  of  the  polishing  tools  will  flatten  the  former 
prominent  figure  although  the  outlines  are  well  defined.  To  re- 
store the  print  to  its  former  prominence  the  leather  is  again  taken 
to  the  graining  table  and  submitted  to  the  following  manipulations : 
Place  the  side  grain  up  on  the  cork  table  and  grain  it  at  an  angle 
from  the  butt  to  the  fore  shank.     Then  soft-board  it  on  the  flesh 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


from  head  to  tail,  giving  it  an  opposite  angle  on  the  grain  from  the 
hind  shank  to  the  head,  and  finally  cross  it  lightly  on  the  grain 
from  belly  to  back.  Therefore  we  have  grained  each  side,  previ- 
ous to  and  after  polishing,  ten  times.  Thirty  sides  per  day  for  one 
man  is  considered  a  good  day's  work. 

The  final  act  will  be  to  go  over  the  sides  with  a  medium  coat  of 
oil  on  the  black,  consisting  of  equal  parts  of  cod  and  paraffine  oil. 
This  oiling  is  not  so  much  to  soften,  as  to  bring  up  the  black  and 
give  to  the  grain  the  desired  silky  feel.  Wherein  parafiine  oil,  of 
twenty-five  gravity,  is  used  in  connection  with  fish  oils,  there  will 
be  no  danger  of  the  leather  frying  and  gumming,  even  though  car- 
ried in  stock  for  a  long  time.  This  oil  may  be  used  exclusively  in 
the  final  finish,  and  will  produce  a  cleaner  grain  surface  than  fish 
oil.  In  the  comparatively  dry  and  porous  condition  of  the  leather, 
it  will  absorb  the  oil  rapidly,  and  care  must  be  given  that  too  much 
be  not  put  on,  so  as  to  show  on  the  flesh  side. 

BRIGHT    OIL    GRAIN. 

When  wishing  to  make  bright  oil  grain,  or  what  is  known  as 
half-bright  imitation  goat,  which,  by  the  way,  is  a  very  sensible 
style  of  finish,  such  leather  should  be  assorted  from  those  previ- 
ously pebbled  and  blooded  and  then  practically  freed  from  scratches 
and  imperfections  on  the  grain,  for  in  a  dull  finish  those  imperfec- 
tions show  up  more  prominently  than  when  polished  by  the  ma- 
chine. In  place  of  being  polished,  the  sides  are  given  a  good  dress- 
ing of  oil  on  the  grain.  For  this  work  add  about  8  per  cent  of  de- 
gras  to  the  cod  and  parafiine  oil,  as  the  former  will  greatly 
improve  the  surface  feeling  when  grained  up.  The  degras  will  also 
have  a  tendency  to  deaden  the  finish  after  having  been  blooded. 
The  remaining  work  is  similar  to  that  performed  on  the  bright  fin- 
ish after  coming  from  the  polishing  machine,  but  no  further  oiling 
is  necessary. 

STRAIGHT   GRAIN. 

The  leather  for  this  style  of  grain  is  prepared  the  same  as  for  the 
imitation  goat,  until  it  reaches  the  pebbling  machine.  The  peb- 
bling roll  is  cut  straight  across,  hence  straight  grain  instead  of 
pebble.  After  the  print  is  on,  the  sides  are  grained  but  one  way 
that  is  from  head  to  tail,  and  the  operator  must  be  careful  not  to 
cross  the  print.  The  sides  are  then  given  another  blood  dressing 
and  are  dried  out.     Then  they  are  soft-boarded  two  ways,   from 


IMITATION  GOAT  AND  BOOT  GRAINS. 


belly  to  back,  and  from  head  to  tail,  and  polished  and  oiled,  the 
same  as  in  the  process  for  imitation  goat. 

BOOT   GRAIN. 

This  leather  is  tanned  in  the  same  manner  as  are  oil  shoe  grains, 
but  the  sides  are  split  in  substance  ranging  from  seven  to  ten 
ounces  per  foot,  the  latter  being  used  principally  for  fishing  and 
brewer's  boots.  The  retanning  and  stuffing  is  the  same  as  treated 
for  oil  shoe  grains.  The  grain  is  not  snuffed  off,  except  where  im- 
perfections appear,  although  since  oil  shoe  grains  have  enjoyed 
such  an  extensive  run,  tanners  are  turning  their  attention  to  that 
method  of  buffing  off  the  grain,  audit  is  only  a  question  of  time 
when  heavy  boot  grain  leather  will  be  finished  the  same  way,  wnth 
this  exception,  that  a  more  prominent  figure  on  the  grain  will  be 
produced.  If  a  dull  finish  be  required  the  blood  dressing  can 
be  dispensed  with,  but  there  seems  to  be  a  growing  demand  for  a 
bright  finish  on  oil  grain  leather,  both  for  boots  and  shoes,  and 
tanners  should  encourage  this  style  of  finish,  even  though  it  costs 
a  trifle  more,  for  the  reason  that  a  larger  percentage  of  No.  i  lea- 
ther can  be  obtained,  when  of  a  bright  finish,  than  can  be  had 
from  a  lusterless  finish.  The  same  rule  applies  to  imitation  goat 
and  all  grain  finish;  but  when  finishing  on  the  flesh  side,  as  in  wax. 
upper,  kips  and  calfskins,  a  bright  finish  will  show  up  all  imper- 
fections, and  give  a  coarser  appearance  to  the  leather.  In  olden ; 
times  a  bright,  or  "cat's-eye"  finish,  was  quite  popular  on  wax 
upper  leather,  while  now  it  is  the  aim  of  tanners  to  procure  a  lus- 
terless and  greasy  finish,  which  after  all,  is  the  most  sensible. 

' '  English  ' '  boot  grain  is  finished  nearly  the  same  way  as  Amer- 
ican grain,  and  with  a  very  bright  finish.  The  print  is  somewhat 
larger  and  round  or  oval  shaped.  It  is  finished  in  sides  and  crops, 
and  largely  used  for  custom  work.  Unless  orders  were  given  to 
to  the  contrary,  I  would  advise  tanners  making  either  the  Amer- 
ican or  English  boot  grain,  to  snuff  off  the  grain  the  same  as  for 
oil  shoe  grains,  thereby  securing  a  more  perfect  grain  surface  and 
greatly  improving  the  feeling  of  the  leather  when  finished.  The 
writer  has  had  this  experience  when  receiving  orders  for  custom 
work,  and  snuffed  off  the  entire  grain  surface,  and  in  every  instance 
the  buyers  were  highly  pleased  with  the  leather  and  duplicated  their 
orders,  but  had  they  been  informed  that  the  grain  was  removed, 
they  would,  undoubtedly,  have  returned  the  leather,  not  having 
been  educated  up  to  that  point,  or  were  in  fact,  opposed  to  innova- 


78  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

tions  on  old  time  methods.  Boot  or  shoe  leather  will  give  better 
service  and  be  more  comfortable  to  the  feet  wherein  the  grain  or 
tinny  cuticle  is  removed,  than  when  left  on  as  nature  formed  it. 
Nature  formed  the  innumerable  little  nerves  in  the  skins  of  animals, 
but  to  produce  supple  leather  those  nerves  must  be  broken  and  re- 
moved in  the  beam-house. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

WELT  LEATHER. 

This  is  made  from  oak  and  hemlock  tanned  leather,  principally 
from  oak,  and  for  hand  and  machine  sewed  work  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  fine  shoes.  For  this  work  the  leather  must  be  fairly  firm 
and  plump,  but  of  a  mild  tannage,  consequently  oak  leather  is 
more  extensively  employed.  This  class  of  stock  is  chiefly  selected 
from  rough  leather,  as  but  a  small  percentage  of  the  average  run 
of  hides  would  make  leather  suitable  for  it.  The  grain  should  be 
practically  free  from  barb-wire,  horn  scratches  and  scores  and  cuts 
on  the  flesh.  The  weight  of  the  sides  in  the  rough  state  may 
range  from  ten  to  eighteen  pounds,  but  care  should  be  given  that 
the  shoulders  are  plump  and  the  skirtings  full,  similar  to  plump 
steer  hides.  When  preparing  the  leather  for  skiving  and  splitting, 
trim  off  the  head  portion  entirely,  then  commence  on  the  throat, 
going  to  or  near  the  fore  shanks,  then  straight  toward  the  hind 
shank  including  that  in  the  skirting.  For  sides  that  are  more 
spready  than  others,  a  deeper  cut  should  be  made,  so  that  when 
skirted,  the  belly  and  back  will  fairly  correspond  in  thickness. 

Nothing  should  be  left  on  the  side,  at  this  stage,  that  will  have 
to  be  removed  at  a  later  period,  as  it  would  not  only  be  a  waste  of 
money,  but  would  show  a  lack  of  good  judgment.  The  loose, 
thin,  and  unsightly  portions  are  well  outlined  when  the  leather  is 
in  the  rough  condition,  and  should  any  doubts  occur,  it  is  better  to 
give  that  part  intended  for  welt  the  benefit  of  the  doubt,  for  that 
portion  which  would  have  to  be  taken  off  later  to  insure  its  sale 
would  have  little,  if  any,  commercial  value.  The  heads  thus 
trimmed  off  are  sold  separately  on  their  merits,  and  the  skirtings 
by  themselves,  the  latter  bringing  about  one-third  the  original  cost 
of  the  leather.  The  sides,  or  "backs,"  as  they  are  now  more 
properly  designated,  are  then  dipped  into  a  tub  of  water  to  dampen 


WELT  I^EATHER.  79 

and  get  them  in  suitable  condition  for  skiving.  They  should  lay- 
in  pile  over  night  to  mellow.  When  skiving,  take  oflf  only  the 
rough  flesh  so  that  when  splitting  it  will  not  roll  up  on  the  knife, 
as  the  splits  will  be  unsuited  for  flesh  finishing,  and  when  sol4  in  the 
rough  all  the  weight  possible  should  be  given  to  them.  The 
writer,  though  not  anyways  prejudiced  against  oak  bark  tannage, 
has  failed  to  ever  produce  a  desirable  flesh,  or  even  grain  finish, 
from  splits  so  tanned. 

When  skived,  the  selections  are  made  for  the  hand  and  machine- 
sewed  welt.  For  the  former  select  only  such  as  are  extremely 
plump,  or  of  a  uniform  thickness  in  butt,  shoulders  and  belly  por- 
tions. Hand-sewed  welts  are  of  greater  thickness  than  for  machine- 
sewed,  and  the  strips  are  cut  crosswise  of  the  side,  while  the 
machine-sewed  welts  are  cut  into  strips  lengthwise  of  the  side, 
therefore  it  is  desirable  that  those  selected  for  the  machine-sew^ed 
be,  as  far  as  possible,  of  perfect  grain  and  flesh,  unless  the  finisher 
cuts  up  the  leather  into  the  required  widths,  cements  the  strips  to- 
gether, and  puts  them  up  in  rolls  similar  to  those  made  by  belt 
manufacturers.  This  method  is  now  being  largely  pursued, 
and  the  backs  are  sold  by  the  3'ard,  in  place  of  being  disposed  of 
by  the  square  foot  or  pound.  Then  any  imperfections  in  grain 
or  flesh  can  be  cut  out  and  only  prime  stock  be  put  into  the  rolls 
as  ofiered  for  sale. 

Those  backs  selected  for  hand  welt  should  be  punched  near  the 
tail,  so  that  the  two  grades  may  be  worked  together  until  arriving 
at  the  bufiing  table,  where  only  those  for  machine-sewed  are  sub- 
mitted to  the  bufiing  operation,  and  they  can  then  be  readily  dis- 
tinguished by  the  punch  mark.  When  splitting  those  for  hand 
welts,  there  should  be  only  sufl&cient  split  taken  ofi"  to  remove  the 
uneven  lumps  on  the  kidney  and  head,  and  to  secure  a  uniform 
substance  throughout,  which  substance  would  be  equal  to  ten 
ounces  to  the  square  foot  finished  into  boot  grain.  In  the  machine- 
sewed  there  should  be  three  grades,  light,  medium,  and  heavy 
medium,  according  to  the  pattern  of  the  leather  and  that  which 
will  produce  uniformity  of  substance,  ranging  from  five  to  eight 
ounces  per  foot,  dry  finish.  Those  for  machine-sewed  are  carefully 
shaved  over  the  entire  flesh  surface,  while  those  for  hand-sewed  are 
what  is  termed  belly  shaved. 

re;-tanning  and  scouring. 
For  twenty  sides,  when  split  and  shaved,  put  with  them  in  the 
drum-wheel  two  pail=  -^f  strong  gambier  liquor  and  what  water  is 


80  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

necessary  to  thoroughly  saturate  the  leather.  Run  the  wheel  for 
thirty  minutes.  Pile  down  and  let  them  remain  over  night  before 
scouring.  The  scouring  is  best  done  by  machine,  and  this  work 
should  be  thorough  and  all  old  grain  and  bloom  be  removed.  Ap- 
ply clean  water  at  intervals  to  wash  off  the  bloom,  which  is  more 
noticeable  in  oak  than  hemlock  tannage.  Apply  a  light  dressing 
of  cod  and  paraffine  oil  to  the  grain,  before  taking  from  the  table, 
and  hang  up  in  the  lofts  to  sammie.  The  backs  are  then  taken 
down,  dampened  and  put  in  proper  condition  for  setting  and  stuff- 
ing. The  setting  is  first  done  on  the  grain,  and  no  pains  should 
be  spared  in  this  operation.  Then  turn  them  over  with  the  flesh 
side  upwards  and  slick  them  out  firmly  with  a  steel  slicker.  Then 
give  to  the  flesh  a  fairly  good  dressing  of  dubbing,  composed  of 
equal  parts  of  cake  tallow  and  cod  oil.  Hang  them  up  lengthwise 
to  dry  and  let  them  dry  slowly  in  a  dark  room. 

When  dry  the  flesh  will  have  the  appearance  of  having  been 
whitewashed,  and  the  grain  will  not  show  any  signs  of  oil  and 
will  be  nearly  white.  If  too  much  grease  is  used  the  grain  and 
flesh  will  be  disfigured  and  the  complexion  will  be  unsuited  for 
welt  leather,  as  it  will  be  subjected  to  the  burnishing  process,  the 
same  as  sole  leather  when  made  into  shoes.  Those  for  hand  welt 
are,  when  dry,  selected  from  the  machine-sewed  and  placed  upon  a 
clean  table  and  the  flesh  lightly  scraped  with  a  steel  slicker.  The 
grain  is  then  given  a  glassing  to  produce  a  finish.  Those  for  ma- 
chine-sewed are  similarly  slicked  on  the  flesh,  and  are  taken  to  the 
buffing  table.  Before  buffing,  take  one-half  pound  of  white  laun- 
dry soap  and  dissolve  it  in  a  pail  of  hot  water.  Then  with  a  sponge 
go  over  the  grain  until  it  is  fairly  mellow,  when  the  bufi&ng  slicker 
is  applied  and  the  entire  grain  removed.  It  is  first  ' '  roughed, ' ' 
then,  with  a  finer  edge,  a  snufiing  is  given  which  raises  a  white 
nap,  giving  a  satin  feeling  to  the  surface.  The  backs,  after  a  few 
moments'  airing,  are  then  assorted  into  their  respective  grades, 
and  are  put  into  rolls  of  half  dozen  each,  the  bottom  side  grain  up 
and  the  balance  of  roll  flesh  up  so  that  when  rolling,  the  grain  will 
not ' '  pipe  up. ' ' 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF, 


CHAPTER  IX. 


GLOVE   GRAIN  VS.    IMITATION   CALF. 

Glove  grain,  for  shoe  purposes,  was  first  introduced  to  the  trade 
about  seven  years  ago,  and  enjoj^ed  a  ver^'  good  demand.  It  was 
finished  with  the  grain  on,  that  is,  without  bufiing,  but  within  the 
past  few  years  makers  of  that  class  of  stock  have  made  decided 
improvement  both  in  the  tannage  and  finish.  Now  there  are  sev- 
eral brands  on  the  market,  all  of  which  have  a  steady  and  increas- 
ing demand  from  manufacturers  making  fine  shoes.  It  is  now 
known  as  glove  grain  and  imitation  calf,  the  grain  is  buffed  off  and 
this  bufl&ng  produces  a  mellow  satin  feeling  when  finished.  It  has, 
and  will  undoubtedly  continue  to  greatly  displace  the  use  of  wax 
calfskins  in  the  manufacture  of  fine  shoes.  By  the  latter  st3de  of 
finishing,  the  leather  receives  an  indelible  black  and  can  be  safely 
warranted  not  to  crack.  It  has  advantages  over  wax  calfskins, 
even  though  the  same  prices  were  paid  for  the  raw  material.  First, 
by  making  it  from  small  heifer  and  steer  hides,  or  from  medium- 
weight  kips — this  latter  is  a  more  desired  pattern  of  leather  for  the 
cutting  of  boot  and  shoe  vamps,  and  when  tanned,  according  to 
the  following  directions,  the  leather  will  cut  up  more  economically 
in  flanks  and  shoulders  than  will  calfskins  of  similar  substance. 
Second  :  The  leather  thus  tanned  and  finished  will  be  equally  as 
water-proof  as  a  wax  calfskin,  and  has  equal,  if  not  superior  wear- 
ing qualities.  By  snuffing  off  or  splitting  the  cuticle  the  leather  is 
at  once  rendered  supple  and  mellow,  and  will  not  become  crusty  or 
harsh  in  wearing  as  in  cases  where  the  entire  grain  is  left  on.  In 
fact,  it  has  the  service  of  the  best  brands  of  French  calfskins,  but 
far  superior  cutting  qualities  in  the  flanks  and  shoulders,  and  when 
made  up  into  a  boot  or  shoe  the  average  critic  would  fail  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  calfskins. 

As  in  the  preceding  volume  on  ' '  The  Manufacture  of  Oil  Shoe 
Grains,"  the  materials  and  daily  routine  of  the  work  in  the  beam- 
house  and  tannery  will  not  materially  difier  from  what  has  already 


«2  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

been  published,  but  it  will  call  for  a  diflferent  class  of  hides.  There- 
fore with  a  view  to  make  this  style  of  leather  complete,  in  itself, 
the  writer  will  select  a  pack  from  the  class  of  hides  most  suitable, 
and  carry  them  along  through  the  several  departments  to  the  stuff- 
ing and  finishing  rooms,  wherein  the  work  will  be  of  an  entirely 
different  nature. 

In  the  first  place,  unless  the  tanner  can  buy  his  hides  of  the  de- 
sired pattern  for  the  work,  it  would  be  advisable  for  him  to  also  en- 
gage in  the  manufacture  of  oil  shoe  grains,  imitation  goat,  wax 
upper  or  collar  leather.  For  he  will  find  when  he  gets  his  leather 
tanned  and  ready  for  splitting,  there  will  be  a  number  of  sides  un- 
fitted for  glove  or  imitation  calf  in  pattern,  neither  will  the  grain  be 
clear  enough  or  free  from  barb-wire  scratches.  Those  may  be  put 
into  a  lower  grade  of  oil  shoe  grains  or  finished  into  kip  upper  on 
the  flesh  side,  thereby  securing  a  greater  percentage  of  No.  i  leather 
than  could  be  had  in  grain  finish. 

Medium  weight  from  veal  kips  are  largely  employed  for  this 
work,  and  when  these  are  not  of  too  spready  a  nature,  will  cut, 
when  finished,  to  better  advantage  than  side  leather. 

Again,  this  class  of  raw  material  is  not  so  liable  to  be  injured  on 
the  grain  side  as  are  hides  from  young  steers  and  heifers  by  coming 
in  contact  with  barb-wire  fences,  and  can  be  bought  at  about  the 
same  price  that  is  paid  for  buff  and  extreme  light  hides.  The 
heavy,  plump  selections  are  more  desirable  for  wax  finish  where 
sold  by  weight,  especially  for  the  making  of  kip  boots.  Neither 
runners,  or  what  are  known  as  murrains  and  long-haired  winter 
kips,  are  suitable  for  this  work.  The  writer  would  advise  tanners 
to  purchase  a  medium  weight  run  of  green  cured  hides,  consisting 
of  youHg  heifers  and  steers,  for  in  the  extreme  light  selections  there 
will  be  found  quite  a  number  of  young  bulls  which  are  totally  un- 
fitted for  upper  leather  finish,  and  are  found  principall3-  in  weights 
ranging  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  pounds.  Hides  running  from 
thirty  to  forty-five  pounds  make  a  very  desirable  pattern  for  the 
work  in  question,  but  as  it  is  somewhat  difl&cult  to  procure  those 
selections,  except  at  a  higher  range  in  prices,  it  is  better  that  the 
tanner  should  combine  other  styles  of  leather  and  purchase  hides 
ranging  from  twenty-five  to  sixty  pounds,  and  when  tanned,  those 
not  desirable  for  glove,  can  be  put  into  oil  grains,  imitation  goat, 
wax  upper  or  collar  leather. 

To  secure  the  desired  full  flanks  in  hides  or  kips  they  should  be 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  83 

suspended  on  sticks  in  the  liquor  pits,  and  as  extreme  light  hides, 
and  medium  weight  veal  kips,  require  about  the  same  room  in  the 
pits  as  do  hides  of  greater  weight  and  dimensions,  and  nearlj^  the 
same  cost  in  labor,  it  is  not  good  economy  for  a  tanner  to  work  ex- 
treme light  hides  exclusively,  except  he  makes  a  specialty  of  calf 
and  kips.  I  will,  therefore,  by  way  of  illustration,  carry  along  a 
pack  of  hides  of  weights  ranging  from  twenty-five  to  sixty 
pounds,  and  when  we  reach  the  splitting  room  will  make  the  sev- 
eral assortments. 

HIDE    TRIM. 

The  following  diagram  of  "Tanners'  Trim"  was  adopted  bj'' 
tanners  assembled  in  Boston,  October,  1886,  at  a  time  when  hide 
values  were  from  3  to  4  cents  per  pound  higher  than  at  the  present 
time.  This  style  of  trim  was  for  sole,  harness,  and  upper  leather 
hides.  But  at  current  prices  of  hides  I  would  advise,  as  a  matter 
of  economy,  to  make  a  closer  trim  than  dotted  marks  denote  in  the 
diagram,  and  where  the  pates,  or  head  portions,  are  so  unshapely, 
they  are  practically  worthless,  and  should  be  cut  ofiF  entirely  when 
tanning  for  fine  shoe  grains. 

Glue  stock  has  also  greatly  depreciated  in  value,  and  it  is  better 
to  cut  it  off  and  throw  it  away,  than  to  tan  it  and  then,  when  the 
leather  is  ready  for  splitting,  to  remove  it,  and  thereby  lose  by 
having  to  sell  it  at  a  nominal  price.  Tanners  are  looking  about 
them  to  learn  wherein  they  can  make  a  saving  in  the  manufacture, 
to  successfully  compete  for  a  share  of  the  trade,  at  the  present  low 
prices  obtained  for  leather.  There  is  no  better  time  to  commence 
using  the  pruning  knife  than  in  the  hide  house,  and  there  cut  ofi 
ever>'thing  that  will  not  make  desirable  leather  and  throw  it  into 
the  glue  pile.  This  branch  of  the  work  should  be  done  by  butch- 
ers and  packers,  when  the  hides  are  taken  off,  or  after  coming  out 
of  the  packs,  when  cured.  But  as  tanners  have  failed  to  demand 
their  hides  on  that  basis,  there  seems  to  be  no  other  way  than  for 
each,  or  all,  to  adopt  such  method  of  trim  as  would  be  commen- 
surate with  the  class  of  stock  they  are  making.  The  tanner  who 
has  the  courage  to  adopt  a  close  trim  on  his  hides,  will  find  him- 
self the  gainer  in  the  long  run,  and  thereby  secure  for  himself  a 
reputation  on  his  stock.  What  is  there  more  unsightly  than  a  side 
of  leather,  be  it  sole  or  upper  stock,  with  long  shanks,  pates,  dew- 
claws  and  tail,  each  of  which  appendages  are  practically  worthless  ? 

The  close  trim  adopted  by  the  most  prominent  calfskin  tanners, 


MANUFACTURE  OF  OIIv  GRAINS. 


Tanners'  Trim. 


Take  off  lower  jaw  and  upper  lip  behind  the  nos- 
trils. 

The  pate  between  the  eyes. 

The  horns  and  ears. 

The  cheek  when  throat  is  cut  across. 

The  fore  legs  at  the  knee. 

The  hind  legs  midway  between  knee  and  dewclaws, 
or  higher  up  when  cut  across. 

All  tags  caused  by  unskilled  skinning.  (See  dotted 
lines.) 

The  points  marked  "  a  "  should  appear  at  "b"  if 
properly  skinned. 

This  cut  is  intended  to  show  the  proper  trim  of  a 
hide,  and  was  adopted  by  the  Tanners'  Convention 
at  Boston  as  the  "  Tanners'  Trim." 

The  dotted  lines  indicate  the  portion  which  should 
be  cut  off  as  are  not  worth  tanning,  but  has  a  value 
as  glue  stock. 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  85 

was  a  move  in  the  right  direction,  and  was  not  only  appreciated 
by  shoe  manufacturers,  but  was  the  means  of  establishing  the  repu- 
tation of  those  tanners,  and  of  securing  a  higher  price  for  their 
products.  Still  there  are  those,  who  might  be  classed  as  old  fossils 
in  the  trade,  who,  at  this  late  day,  believe  in  tanning  and  finishing 
hides  and  skins  "  As  nature  formed  them." 

Nature  formed  the  crab-apple,  the  astringent  and  distasteful 
cherry,  but  man,  aided  by  science,  perfected  the  fruit.  Nature 
formed  the  forests,  hills  and  valleys,  but  man  cleared  the  forests, 
leveled  the  hills,  filled  in  the  valleys,  and,  where  there  were  once 
stumps,  rocks  and  underbrush,  he  caused  vegetation  to  grow. 
Some  one  has  to  be  the  leader  in  all  great  enterprises,  and  the  tan- 
ner who  has  the  courage  to  strike  out  from  old  beaten  paths,  and 
adopt  the  close  trim,  even  though  he  be  unaided  and  alone  in  his 
purpose,  will  be  sure  to  succeed. 

PREPARING  THE   HIDES. 

Take  fifty  hides — this  number  being  the  basis  for  a  pack — and 
select  them  as  near  the  average  weight  as  possible ;  trim  as  recom- 
mended and  take  them  to  the  wash-wheel  in  the  beam-house.  See 
cut  of  wheel.  Where  the  wheel  is  of  suflScient  capacity,  throw  in 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  whole  hides.  Set  the  wheel  in  motion,  and 
let  on  a  bountiful  supply  of  cold  water.  This,  it  is  presumed,  will 
be  furnished  by  pumping  from  the  lake,  river  or  well,  into  a  tank 
placed  at  suflScient  height  above  the  wheel  to  give  the  required 
force.  Connecting  with  the  tank,  there  should  be  a  pipe  running 
through  the  turned  axle,  and  the  flow  of  water  should  be  regulated 
by  a  valve  within  reach  of  the  operator.  Let  the  wheel  revolve 
until  the  salt,  blood  and  dirt  are  practically  removed  from  the  hides. 
This  will  require  about  thirty  minutes,  or  until  the  water  is  fairly 
clean  after  being  expelled  through  the  numerous  perforations  in 
the  circumference  of  wheel.  Take  out  the  hides  and  spread  them, 
hair  uppermost,  on  the  floor.  Then  split  them  through  the  back, 
strip  evenly,  commencing  with  the  tail,  thereby  making  two  sides 
from  one  hide.  Consequently,  we  now  have  one  hundred  sides, 
which  constitute  a  pack  to  carry  through  the  works.  Throw  them, 
as  split,  into  a  pit,  or  pool,  of  clean,  cold  water  and  let  them  re- 
main there  for  two  days,  temperature  of  water  and  weather  per- 
mitting. 

Many  tanners  first  split  the  green  cured  hides  before  taking  them 
to  the  beam-house,  and  then  throw  them  into  a  pit  of  water  for  a 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


few  days  before  submitting  them  to  the  wash-wheel.  By  the  for- 
mer method,  the  work  of  removing  the  salt  and  filth  will  be  greatly 
facilitated,  and  when  relieved  of  foreign  matter,  and  the  hides 
uniformly  soaked  and  washed,  the  splitting  is  more  evenly  accom- 
plished than  where  the  hides  are  partially  dried  out,  through 
exposure  to  the  weather  during  transportation.  Hides  first  washed 
in  the  wheel  should  not  be  allowed  to  remain  in  the  soaks  too  long 


WASH    WHEEL. 

afterwards,  excepting  when    the  water  is  cold,  as  then  they  are 
practically  freed  from  salt  when  coming  out  of  the  wash-wheel. 

FLESHING. 

There  are  many  tanners  also  that  lime  their  hides  before  flesh- 
ing. This  custom  is  more  prevalent  in  the  East,  and  is  done  with 
a  concave  knife  over  a  beam,  or  green-shaved  over  a  stake,  with  a 
head  knife.  There  are  several  reasons  why  neither  of  these  meth- 
ods should  receive  encouragement,  or  be  allowed  in  fact,  by  those 
claiming  to  be  practical  tanners. 

There  would  be  some  excuse  where  tanners  are  working  dry  flint 
African,  or  South  American  hides,  where  the  exposure  to  the  hot 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF. 


sun  produces  a  thin  glaze  on  the  flesh,  which  is  very  difficult  to 
remove  before  liming,  but,  taking  a  practical  view,  it  will  be  con- 
ceded that  it  is  right  at  this  time  that  this  glaze  and  nerve  should 
be  broken  and  removed,  a  little  extra  labor  to  the  contrary  not- 
withstanding.    In  the  first  place,  hides  intended  for  whatsoever 
class  of  work,  will  produce  greater  weight  and  measure,  plumper 
and  fuller  in  body  and  flanks,  when  fleshed  with  a  concave  knife 
properly  over  a  beam,  or  by  the  improved  fleshing  machines,  be- 
fore going  into  the  limes.      As  the  majority  of  tanners  flesh  by 
hand,  I  will  confine  this  work  to  hand  fleshing  before  the  hides 
enter  the  lime,  and  endeavor  to  show  the  evil  results  from  green- 
shaving,  either  before  or  after  liming.     Beam-fleshing,  after   the 
hides  are  limed  and   unhaired,  is  not  as  objectionable  as  green- 
shaving,  yet  I  cannot  refrain  from  entering  a  protest  against  this 
method,  for  the  following  reasons  :  Where  the  fat  and  meat  is  first 
taken  off  and  the  nerve  broken,  the  hide  then  becomes  flaccid  and 
readily  adapts  itself  to  the  subsequent   treatment   in   the   limes. 
Unless  the  fat  and  meat  be  first  removed,  it  will  require  a  longer 
time  to  swell  the  hide  and  neutralize  the   grease,  before  the  hair 
can  be   removed.      White   spots,    which   are   frequently   seen  on 
leather,  varying  in  size  from  a  nickel  to  a  half  dollar,    may  be 
directly  traced  to  this   cause.     Had  the  flesh  and  nerve  been  re- 
moved before  the  hides  went  into  the  lime,  this  latter  agent  would 
have  had  immediate  action,  and  have  caused  the  hide  to  swell  uni- 
formly when  in  it,  and  when  going  into  the  bark  liquors  to  feed 
and  become  healthy.     White  spots  are  seldom,  if  ever,  seen  on 
leather  where  the   hides   have   received   the  vigorous   treatment 
demanded,  before  going  into  the  lime  pits. 

GREEN   SHAVING. 

This  is  the  most  radical,  and  we  might  say  barbarous  treatment 
to  which  the  hide  can  be  subjected.  By  so  doing  you  rob  the  hide 
of  a  good  portion  ofits  gelatinous  tissue.  You  will  have  accom- 
plished one  object,  however,  that  of  virtually  removing  the  nerve, 
but  what  is  worse,  that  which  the  nert-e  was  intended  to  protect,' 
the  real  vitality  of  the  hide,  which  consequently  becomes  stunted 
and  ceases  to  grow  and  mature  during  the  subsequent  treatment 
in  the  tannery.  It  ever  after  presents  a  harsh,  crusty  look  and 
feel,  and  fails  to  receive  the  necessary  amount  of  bark  to  produce 
plump,  heavy  leather.  The  most  convincing  argument  for  those 
tanners  who  continue  to  green-shave  their  hides  would  be  to  pick 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


out  several  of  the  iarge  green  shavings  and  tan  them.  They  would 
soon  learn  that  those  shavings  were  of  the  thickness  of  a  sheep- 
skin, more  tough  and  elastic  than  the  senior  portion.  Why,  then, 
continue  murdering  the  hides  in  the  beam-house,  when  a  few  com- 
mon-sense experiments  will  convince  the  most  skeptical,  that  the 
glue  manufacturer  has  been  robbing  tanners  of  what  should  have 
gone  into  their  own  pockets  ?  To  the  writer's  knowledge,  none  of 
the  Western  tanners  green-shave  their  hides,  which  accounts,  in  a 
great  measure,  for  the  reputation  obtained  in  the  suppleness  of  their 
wax  upper,  grain,  and  other  fine  leather  specialties. 

NERVES. 

What  are  these  little  nerves  which  have  such  an  important  bear- 
ing in  the  manufacture  of  leather,  and  upon  which  so  little  has  been 
said  by  practical  writers  and  tanners  ?  Whole  columns  might  be 
written  upon  this  question  and  presented  to  the  craft  for  their  con- 
sideration. 

The  nerves  form  a  complete  network  underlining  the  entire  body 
of  the  skin,  which  nature  has  provided  for  the  contraction  and  ex- 
pansion of  the  body  ;  otherwise  the  animal  would  present  to  the  eye 
a  loose,  flabby  appearance,  after  having  once  been  in  a  fat,  healthy, 
and  then  relapsing  into  a  poor,  sickly  condition.  The  nerve  per- 
forms the  same  duty  to  the  animal  as  do  the  numerous  interlac- 
ing cords  to  a  balloon.  Consider,  for  instance,  the  nerve  as  the  net- 
work which  surrounds  the  silk  or  body  of  the  balloon  and  which 
protects  it  from  sudden  contraction  or  expansion.  When  the  balloon 
is  fully  inflated,  the  nerve  or  net  work  expands  and  holds  the  silk 
or  body  in  rigid  condition  ;  if  contraction  follows,  these  innumer- 
able cords  close  up  around  the  balloon  and  hold  it  in  position.  Thus 
it  is  when  the  skin  is  taken  off  the  animal,  those  little  nerves  hold 
the  fibers  of  the  skin,  producing  a  firm  and  compact  feeling.  To 
produce  an  elastic  feeling  those  many  nerves  must  be  broken. 
After  the  skin  is  relieved  of  those  fetters,  it  becomes  flaccid,  and 
will  readily  adapt  itself  to  the  subsequent  manipulations  in  the 
beam-house,  tannery  and  finishing  departments.  Another  very 
important  object  gained,  is  that  the  leather  will  not  "bag  up"  in 
tanning,  as  would  be  the  case  when  those  nen-es  have  been  neg- 
lected in  the  beam-house. 

To  return  to  the  process  in  question,  viz  :  That  of  fleshing 
before  going  into  the  lime.  In  the  first  place  let  us  look  more  to 
the  quality  than  the  quantity  of  the  work.     By   spending   two  or 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  89 


more  cents  extra  per  hide  in  the  beaming,  you  will  be  rewarded 
four-fold  throughout  the  tanning  process,  and  obtain  satisfactory 
results  when  finished.  In  the  second  place,  the  beam  hands  should 
be  fully  educated  in  their  work  or  instructed  by  a  competent  fore- 
man. They  should  not  be  allowed,  under  any  circumstances,  to 
use  the  sharp  or  cutting  edge  of  their  fleshers  upon  the  body  of  the 
hide  in  the  endeavor  to  remove  the  nerves.  These  should  be  broken 
by  short,  vigorous  applications  with  the  smooth  edge  of  the  flesher. 
To  accomplish  this  it  requires  a  deal  of  manual  labor  and 
skill.  It  is  but  natural  that  the  beamsters  will,  when  a  greater 
number  of  hides  are  demanded  of  them  than  can  be  faithfully  done, 
resort  to  the  easier  and  expeditious  method  of  shaving  them  off 
with  the  cutting  edge  of  the  knife,  resulting  in  "beam  cuts," 
sufficiently  deep  to  greatly  injure  the  splits,  besides  opening  up  the 
cells,  so  that  when  the  hides  have  been  depilated  in  liming  and  de- 


CUT  OF  KEY. 

pleted  in  bating,  the  gelatine  will  naturally  ooze  from  the  cells  thus 
opened  out. 

To  prevent  the  flow  of  blood  from  a  wound  we  apply  bandages 
or  astringents  to  heal  the  same.  In  place  of  preventing  the  flow 
or  oozing  of  gelatine  from  the  hide,  tanners  by  the  barbarous  sys- 
tem of  green-shaving,  and  using  the  sharp  edge  of  knife  on  the 
hide,  other  than  in  removing  the  tallow  and  meat  left  on  the  skin- 
ning, leave  the  hide  in  a  condition  to  purge,  lose  weight  and  event- 
ually produce  thin,  harsh  and  tinny  leather.  During  the  process 
of  fleshing  instruct  the  beamsters  to  cut  a  slit  near  the  back  strip 
on  the  head  and  tail,  one  and  one-half  inch  long,  and  one-fourth 
inch  wide  for  the  purpose  of  pinning  the  hides  together  before  go- 
ing into  the  lime.  After  the  hides  are  fleshed,  they  should  again 
be  taken  to  the  wash-wheel  and  run  for  ten  minutes,  so  as  to  thor- 
oughly cleanse  them  of  all  impurities  brought  to  the  surface  through 
the  radical  treatment  received  in  removing  the  flesh  and  nerves  ; 
thej^  are  then  doubled,  hair  out,  and  piled  down  near  the  edge  of 
' '  dead  ' '  lime  pit. 


90 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


KEYING  THE  HIDES  TOGETHER. 
The  wooden  keys  may  be  made  either  of  pine  or  ash  ;  the  latter 
is  preferable,  being  tough  and  durable — and  four  inches  long,  one 
inch  thick,  and  three-fourths  of  an  inch  wide.  In  the  center  of 
key,  cut  a  slot  one-half  inch  long  and  the  same  in  depth  on  the 
thickest  part,  and  taper  off  the  ends  to  one-eighth  of  an  inch. 
When  ready  to  immerse  the  hides  in  the  milk  of  lime,  commence 
by  pulling  the  slit  from  the  head  of  No.  i  through  the  butt  slit  of 
No.  2,  and  insert  the  key,  throwing  each  hide  into  the  lime  pit,  as 


HIDE  REEL. 

connected.  Continue  the  operation  until  the  entire  pack  is  keyed 
together.  The  first  and  last  sides  should  have  a  wooden  float  se- 
curely tied  to  the  hides,  so  that  in  reeling,  the  operator  may  read- 
ily distinguish  the  top  hide  and  pass  the  float  over  the  reel,  when 
with  little  labor,  the  entire  pack  may  be  changed  from  one  lime  to 
another  in  five  minutes'  time.  There  should  be  one  man  to  turn 
the  reel  and  one  with  pole  in  hand  to  evenly  distribute  the  hides  in 
the  pit,  as  per  cut.  By  the  use  of  simple  drums,  same  as  in  cut, 
but  suspended  to  the  floor  timbers  or  roof  above,  and  operated  by 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  91 

Steam  power,  one  man's  services  can  be  dispensed  with  in  the  reel- 
ing. Should  the  pack  of  hides  go  into  the  lime  early  in  the  day, 
it  is  advisable  that  the  pack  should  be  reeled  on  to  the  plank  cov- 
ering of  pit  No.  2  before  closing  down,  and  immediately  after  reel 
them  back  again,  so  that  the  hides,  in  their  then  reduced  condition, 
may  have  free  access  to  the  lime  liquor.  This  process  will  also 
hasten  them  on  in  the  liming  process. 

Having  taken  as  a  basis  fifty  hides,  or  one  hundred  sides  per 
pack,  and  from  hides  ranging  from  twenty-five  to  sixty  pounds,  we 
should  have  an  average  run  of  from  forty  to  forty-two  pounds  per 
hide  This  number  and  weight  would  require  from  one  hundred 
and  twenty-five  to  one  hundred  and  thirty  pounds  of  stone  lime  per 
pack  ;  or  where  working  extreme  light  hides  exclusively,  one  hun- 
dred pounds  of  lime  will  be  ample.  No  given  rule  can  be  laid  down 
for  this  work,  as  lime  stone  varies  in  different  sections  of  the  coun- 
try. While  some  lime  contains  a  large  percentage  of  magnesia, 
other  products  are  almost  entirely  free  from  it ;  therefore  it  must 
be  left  with  the  foremen  of  tanneries  to  use  their  judgment  as  to 
the  amount  necessary  to  depilate  the  hides.  The  weights,  as 
given,  will  apply  to  tanners  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  or  of  lime- 
stone in  the  vicinity  of  Racine  and  Milwaukee.  In  making  a  new 
lime  liquor,  fully  one-third  more  will  be  required.  Limes  should 
at  least  be  run  off  once  a  month  and  all  sediment  and  foreign 
matter  be  removed.  New  limes  frequently  fail  to  accomplish  the 
purpose  in  the  given  time ;  therefore  it  is  safe  to  add  one  more  day 
in  the  process  after  cleaning  out  and  re-filling  with  clear  water. 

When  the  limes  are  in  good  condition,  six  days  will  be  required 
to  thoroughly  swell  the  hide  and  bring  it  in  proper  condition  for 
unhairing.  Taking  but  one  pack  per  day,  as  an  illustration,  we 
shall  need  but  seven  limes,  leaving  one  as  a  reserve  in  case  of  need. 
No.  I  may  be  classed  as  the  ' '  dead ' '  lime  and  Nos.  6  and  7  the 
"live"  limes.  There  should  be  a  gradual  up  grade  from  the  No. 
I  to  No.  7,  and  the  amount  of  lime  slacked  for  liming  an  entire 
pack  should  be  put  into  the  several  pits  as  the  hides  are  daily 
changed  from  one  pit  to  another.  Many  tanners  use  the  same 
strength  of  lime  in  the  first  immersion  as  when  coming  out  for  un- 
hairing. This  method  will  do  very  well  for  sole  leather  tanners 
who  lime  in  as  few  hours  as  in  days  for  upper  leather.  For  sole 
leather,  all  that  is  required  is  for  the  lime  to  operate  on  the  cuticle, 
so  as  to  remove  the  hair  and  preserve  the  gelatine  intact ;  but  for 


92  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


upper  leather  purposes,  a  certain  percentage  of  the  gelatine  must 
be  destroyed,  else  the  desired  tough  and  supple  leather  could  not 
be  produced.  Carry  along  the  liming  on  nearly  the  same  princi- 
ple as  is  done  in  the  liquor  pits  ;  neither  starve  nor  over-feed,  but 
keep  on  the  up  grade  from  the  time  the  hides  go  into  the  pits  until 
limed  or  tanned.  Thus  we  have  one  pack  going  into  No.  i ,  or  the 
"dead"  pit  daily,  and  one  pack  coming  out  of  Nos.  6  or  7,  the 
'  live ' '  pits ;  consequently  the  packs  are  reeled  over  daily  and  fresh 
lime  added  as  changes  occur.  At  the  expiration  of  the  time  re- 
quired, reel  the  oldest  pack  on  top  of  the  preceding  pit,  remove  the 
keys  and  then  throw  the  hides  into  a  hot  water  bath  prepared  for 
them,  which  should  indicate  a  temperature  of  from  100  to  no  de- 
grees F. ,  and  after  remaining  in  the  bath  for  from  two  to  three 
hours,  unhair  them.  This  bath  will  tend  to  further  swell  the  hides, 
open  the  pores  and  cause  the  hair  to  slip  off  more  readily,  and  at 
the  same  time  will  aid  in  liberating  from  the  pores  and  cells  the 
caustic  lime  which  would  necessarily  have  to  be  neutralized  later 
in  the  bate-wheel.  The  unhairing  should  be  done  by  a  smooth, 
stunt-edged  knife,  so  that  the  grain  may  not  be  marred,  as  any  im- 
perfections at  this  stage  of  the  work  will  show  up  quite  prominently 
after  being  tanned.  The  hair  and  epidermis  must  not  only  be  re- 
moved, but  to  the  grain  should  also  be  given  a  good,  hard  work- 
ing, which  will  remove,  in  a  great  measure,  the  lime  and  filth,  and 
save  time  and  expense  in  the  bating  process.  After  unhairing, 
throw  them  into  the  wash-wheel  and  run  them  for  ten  minutes  with 
a  liberal  supply  of  water,  to  remove  adhering  hair,  lime  and  dirt 
before  going  into  the  bate. 

LEVELING  THE  PATES. 
In  the  first  chapter  of  the  series  this  important  branch  of  the 
work  was  overlooked.  For  this  work  a  second-hand  union  split- 
ting machine,  or  a  miniature  machine  of  similar  construction,  and 
costing  about  $100,  will  satisfactorily  do  this  work.  No  tannery 
wherein  upper  leather  is  finished  would  be  considered  complete 
without  the  pate  splitting  machine.  It  will  pay  for  itself  in  a  few 
months  time,  and  requires  no  great  skill  to  operate  it.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  cheek  or  jole  of  a  hide  is  thicker  than  any  other 
portion,  and  has  no  value  except  for  scrap  leather,  when  tanned. 
It  costs  fully  seven  cents  per  pound  to  tan  them,  and  when  taken 
off  they  will  not  bring  more  than  half  the  money.  Besides,  when 
taken  off  in  the  beam-house  it  has  nearly  the  same  value  as  when 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF. 


93 


tanned,  for  these  portions,  like  calf  pates,  are  considered  the  most 
desirable  for  making  glue  and  gelatine.  Further,  should  those 
portions  fail  to  be  fully  tanned  when  split  off  after  coming  from 
'the  tannery,  they  would  have  to  be  taken  back  to  the  liquors  again 
to  be  of  any  merchantable  value.     Therefore,  as  a  question  of 


FRICTION   GKAR   FOR   UNION   MACHINE. 

economy,  I  would  earnestly  advise  taking  off  the  slab  in  the  beam- 
house,  and  leave  on  just  sufficient  so  that  when  the  leather  is  ready 
for  splitting,  another  light  skiff  may  be  taken  off  to  conform  to 
the  butt  portion.     See  cut  of  machine. 

BATING. 

"We  have  now  arrive  at  what  must  be  considered  the  objection- 
able feature  of  the  work,  either  in  the  beam-house  or  tannery.  After 


94  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

all  that  science  and  chemistry  have  done  for  tanners,  during  the 
past  twenty-five  years,  they  still  cling  to  the  chicken  manure  bate, 
as  the  only  agent  for  neutralizing  the  lime  to  bring  the  hides  in 
proper  condition  to  unite  with  the  tannic  acid.  An  old  sour  liquor 
is  bad  enough,  but  a  manure  bate  is  simply  an  abomination,  and 
is  one  of  the  prime  causes  of  tanneries  having  to  be  located  in  the 
back- woods,  or  away  from  civilization.  In  fact,  men  thus  engaged, 
if  single,  are  frequently  boycotted  from  securing  a  respectable 
boarding  house,  or  of  going  into  society  or  to  entertainments. 
Not  only  those  who  are  directly  engaged  in  working  in  bates,  but 
those  working  in  the  tannery  and  adjoining  finishing  shops  are 
victims  of  this  loathsome  neutralizing  agent.  The  aroma  (?)  will 
penetrate  to  every  nook  and  corner  of  the  tannery,  particularly 
when  the  bate  is  heated  to  a  temperature  of  90°  F.  For  this  reason 
the  writer  was  obliged  to  marry  early  in  life,  that  he  might  take 
some  comfort  and  escape  the  many  hints  and  occasional  snuffings 
of  the  atmosphere,  by  those  who  failed  to  receive  a  like  education 
in  a  malodorous  tannery.  There  are  advantages  to  be  derived, 
however,  if  one  is  dependent  on  the  horse  or  steam  cars  to  convey 
him  to  his  boarding  house  or  home  ;  he  can,  soon  after  entering, 
find  ample  room  to  sit  down,  or  even  occupy  a  whole  car,  should 
the  atmosphere  be  a  little  heavy.  Notwithstanding  the  boycott- 
ings  and  inconveniences  the  tanner  is  subjected  to,  there  seems  to 
be  a  mania  among  young  men  to  learn  the  art  of  making  leather, 
and  not  a  few  thus  engaged  are  graduates  from  our  colleges  and 
universities. 

"What  can't  be  cured  must  be  endured,"  is  an  old  saying; 
therefore  we  will  stick  to  the  old  style  of  bating  until  the  wisdom 
of  future  ages  shall  find  a  substitute.  There  are  several  patents 
for  this  work,  called  the  chemical  bate,  etc.,  which  are  odorless,  and 
claim  to  effectually  perform  the  work  in  depleting  the  hides  and 
neutralizing  the  lime.  But  as  a  rule,  they  have  failed  to  receive 
the  attenton  of  tanners,  other  than  occasional  experiments ;  and 
should  they  fail  to  perform  the  work  demanded  on  first  trial,  they 
are  thrown  aside  and  the  tanner  falls  back  to  the  Simon-pure 
chicken  manure. 

Before  completing  the  series,  the  writer  will  introduce  a  com- 
paratively new  agent,  in  this  country,  for  unhairing  and  bating  the 
hides,  which  is  done  at  one  and  the  same  time,  and  which,  from 
personal  experience,  produces  a  far  better  quality  of  leather  than 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  O-j 


when  limed  and  bated  by  the  old  method.  But  as  the  majority  of 
tanners  have  not  as  yet  reached  the  turn  in  the  lane,  and  are  op- 
posed to  all  "new-fangled  notions,"  we  will  continue  on  old  fash- 
ioned principles  and  at  the  same  time  endeavor  to  correct  some  of 
the  abuses. 

No  specified  time  can  be  given  for  properly  bating  the  hides. 
Much  depends  on  their  condition,  the  water  and  the  weather,  to 
fully  deplete  and  fit  them  properly  for  entering  the  tannery.  An 
odorous  bate,  like  sweet  milk,  is  seriously  injured  by  thunder  show- 
ers. Should  the  manure  not  be  properly  fermented  before  going 
into  the  bate,  it  will  fail  to  produce  the  desired  effect.  For  this 
work  it  is  advisable  to  set  up  wooden  tanks  back  and  on  a  line  with 
the  bates.  These  tanks  should  have  false  bottoms,  packed  with 
hay  or  straw,  and  near  the  bottom  a  plug  to  run  the  liquor  off  into 
the  bates.  Put  within  the  tank  the  amount  of  manure  required 
for  each  pack,  say  three  bushels  for  one  hundred  sides.  Put  into 
the  tank  warm  water  and  allow  it  to  remain  long  enough  to  fer- 
ment, and  when  that  point  is  reached,  run  the  liquor  off  for  use 
and  again  fill  the  tanks  and  wash  them  off,  as  when  leaching  bark. 
Never  boil  up  the  manure  by  steam  pipe;  the  properties  can  be  read- 
ily extracted  with  warm  water  and  through  fermentation,  and  the 
liquid  be  freely  run  off,  but  where  steamed  up  it  will  pack,  become 
soggy  and  be  difficult  to  strain  off  to  the  pit.  Again,  excessive 
heat  will  pass  off  in  vapor  the  ammonia  properties  of  the  manure 
and  greatly  deteriorate  its  value.  The  residue  of  the  tanks  should 
be  thrown  on  the  manure  heaps,  and  not  into  the  wheel,  as  is  the 
custom  with  many  tanners.  It  is  not  the  filth  that  reduces  the 
hide,  but  yet  it  is  liable  to  do  great  injury.  Many  tanners  still 
hang  to  the  belief  that  the  more  filthy  the  bate  the  better  it  will 
perform  the  work  required.  "Cleanliness  is  next  to  godliness," 
and  this  truism  can  be  practiced  in  the  beam-house  and  tannery  as 
well  as  in  the  privacy  of  one's  home,  and  with  profit  and  credit  to 
the  tanner. 

Chicken  manure  gathered  during  the  summer  and  fall  will  be 
of  greater  strength  than  that  in  the  winter  and  early  spring,  there- 
fore it  would  be  misleading  to  specify  a  given  number  of  bushels 
per  pack,  but  to  be  on  the  safe  side  it  is  better  to  put  in  a  sufficient 
amount  to  cover  any  deficiencies  in  quality,  and  then  watch  results 
in  the  wheel.  A  strong  bate  may  be  readily  detected  by  its 
ammonia  properties.      Before  running  in  the  liquid,  from  tank, 


96  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

Steam  up  the  pit  to  a  temperature  of  from  80  to  90°  F. ,  then  run  in 
the  liquid  and  set  the  wheel  in  motion  ;  then  throw  in  the  hides. 
The  daily  routine  of  the  beam-house  work  should  be  as  follows  ; 
First,  flesh  the  hides;  then  unhair  a  pack.  This  latter  cannot  be 
done  in  regular  order  until  the  usual  number  of  limes  are  filled  ; 
then  fine  hair  or  work  out  the  bate,  so  that  the  pack  may  be 
handled  in  coloring  wheels,  and  be  suspended  in  liquor  pits,  before 
closing  for  the  night.  This  work,  consisting  of  one  pack,  or  100 
sides  per  day,  can  be  performed  by  three  beam-hands,  and  one  man 
to  do  the  chores.  Therefore,  we  have  practically  about  twenty- 
four  hours  in  which  to  deplete  the  pack  in  the  bates,  but,  as  before 
stated,  no  fixed  time  can  be  given  for  this  work,  and  it  must  be 
left  to  the  good  judgment  of  the  foreman  or  operator.  By  drawing 
the  thumb  and  fore-finger  across  the  grain,  the  condition  may  be 
readily  ascertained,  keeping  in  mind  that  when  the  hides  first  go 
into  the  bate  they  are  very  plump  and  rigid  from  the  caustic  effects 
of  lime.  This  condition  must  be  reduced  to  that  of  mellowness, 
the  same  as  before  going  into  the  lime.  After  liming,  the  hide  may 
be  compared  to  a  sheet  of  zinc,  and  when  properly  bated  to  a  dish- 
cloth. When  in  the  latter  condition,  it  is  safe  to  assume  the  hides 
are  sufficiently  depleted  to  fine  hair,  and  are  ready  to  go  into  the 
liquors.  For  the  work  intended,  it  is  not  necessary  to  bate  as  low 
as  where  working  for  imitation  goat  exclusively,  still  no  trace  of 
lime  should  be  left  in  the  hides,  and  to  be  on  the  safe  side,  give 
the  pack  a  good  milling  in  the  wash-wheel,  with  clear,  cold  water, 
after  the  fine-hairing. 

WORKING  OUT  THE   BATE. 

When  in  condition  for  working,  take  the  hides,  as  wanted,  from 
the  bate-wheel  and  throw  them  in  barrels  of  warm  water  placed 
between  the  beamsters,  from  which  they  are  placed  on  the  beam, 
grain  side  up,  and  give  them  a  thorough  working,  removing  all  re- 
maining hairs  from  body  and  edges,  and  forcing,  through  vigorous 
applications  of  the  knife,  the  lime  and  filth  from  the  pores  and  cells. 
The  knife  should  not  be  too  stunt  nor  yet  too  sharp  to  injure,  but 
in  a  condition  to  hug  the  grain  in  a  manner  to  entirely  free  it  from 
all  foreign  matter.  The  hides  are  then  taken  to  the  wash- wheel  for 
their  final  washing.  Run  them  for  ten  minutes  with  a  good  supply 
of  cold  water,  and  during  that  time  they  will  plump  up  from  the 
effects  of  their  cold  bath  and  will  then  be  in  excellent  condition  to 
go  into  the  handling- wheel. 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  97 


CHAPTER  X. 


COLORING  OR   SETTING  THE   GRAIN. 

The  handling  or  coloring  wheels  are  the  same  in  construction  as 
the  bate  wheels,  as  shown  in  previous  chapter.  These  are  supposed 
to  be  near  the  wash-wheel,  but  within  the  tannery.  The  bottom  of 
wheel  pits  are  cylindrical  in  form  and  latticed,  allowing  the  daily 
accumulations  of  bark,  dust,  fiber,  etc.,  to  pass  through  to  the  bot- 
tom of  pit.  Herein  lies  one  great  error  in  the  construction  of  the 
England  wheel.  The  cylinder  should  be  practically  tight  and 
smooth.  Where  open,  and  the  slats  have  sharp  edges,  there  will 
be  far  greater  wear  and  tear  to  both  hides  and  leather  during  the 
revolutions  of  the  wheel.  In  one  comer  of  pit  is  a  perforated  box 
about  six  inches  square,  set  up  to  protect  the  plug  leading  to  the 
conveyers  below  the  pit  for  the  purpose  of  running  off  the  exhaust 
liquor  ;  and  on  a  level  with  the  front  edge  of  pit  is  a  log  conveyer 
connecting  with  the  leaches  through  which  fresh  liquor  is  supplied. 
This  wheel  should  be  kept  sweet  and  clean,  and  any  accumulation 
of  filth  should  be  washed  out  and  passed  off  into  the  junk  by  the 
aid  of  the  force  pump. 

Where  latticed  bottoms  are  used,  it  will  be  found  di£6cult 
to  cleanse  the  pit  properly  unless  the  entire  bottom  is 
taken  out,  and  not  infrequently  have  tanners  taken  out  sev- 
eral wheelbarrow  loads  of  dirt,  a  large  portion  of  which  is  the  nap 
thrashed  out  of  the  hides  and  leather  by  being  run  continuously 
for  one  or  more  days  with  a  view  to  hasten  the  tanning.  No  greater 
mistake  can  be  made  when  using  the  England  wheel.  It  is  one  of 
the  best  labor-saving  appliances  in  the  tannery,  where  judiciously 
used,  and  particularly  when  re-tanning  split  leather  or  splits,  it  will 
save  a  deal  of  handling  in  pulling  up  and  throwing  back  the  stock, 
to  change  the  liquors,  as  is  done  in  an  open  pit.  But  the  wheel 
should  be  run  but  a  few  moments  at  a  time,  or  just  enough  to 
change  the  sides  and  liquor  to  facilitate  the  tanning.  When  first 
introduced,  tanners  flattered  themselves  that  the  dawn  of  a  new  era 
had  arrived.  Nearly  every  tanner  put  in  one  or  more  of  the  wheels, 
but  they  strangled  their  would-be  benefactor  in  its  infancy  by  over- 
work, and  robbed  themselves  through  the  great  waste  of  gelatinous 


98  LBATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


tissue.  They  in  time  learned  that  the  nap  thus  whipped  out  of 
their  leather  went  under  the  latticed  bottom  and  eventually  to  the 
manure  pile,  resulting  in  loose,  flanky  leather,  and  unremunerative 
returns.  Consequently  these  wheels  have  been  largely  discarded 
for  several  years,  but  where  employed  at  the  present  time,  it  is  in 
a  far  more  conservative  manner. 

Presuming  we  have  a  clean  wheel  and  a  pure  liquor  of  about 
five  degrees  density,  or  a  third  run  liquor  from  the  leaches,  we  will 
take  the  pack  of  hides  from  the  wash-wheel  and  put  the  same  in 
the  handling-wheel  and  run  for  teu  minutes ;  where  a  continuous 
current  is  maintained  during  that  short  space  of  time,  it  will  be 
found  on  pulling  out  the  pack  that  the  liquor  is  greatly  exhausted, 
in  fact  not  much  better  than  water.  Hides  in  their  green  condi- 
tion will  rapidly  exhaust  the  tannic  acid,  having  been  greatly  re- 
duced in  the  bate.  They  are  like  unto  a  sick  patient  just  recover- 
ing from  a  fever ;  but  care  must  be  given  that  the  nourishment  is 
not  too  strong  or  administered  too  frequently  until  the  bloom  of 
health  is  portrayed  on  the  cuticle  of  the  skin.  Had  the  hides  been 
thrown  into  an  open  pit  and  remained  dormant,  we  should  not  have 
given  them  a  liquor  of  the  same  density,  or  not  over  three  degrees, 
but  where  every  portion  is  exposed  to  the  liquor,  and  constantly 
agitated,  there  is  less  fear  from  over-feeding  and  better  results  can 
be  accomplished  during  the  ten  minutes  in  the  wheel  than  in  twenty- 
four  hours  in  a  dormant  condition.  The  diamond  figure  so  promi- 
nent on  the  grain  of  most  tannages  of  rough  leather,  is  produced 
through  long  time  and  continuous  revolutions  of  the  handling- 
wheel.  This  figure  is  rather  difficult  to  remove  in  the  scouring  and 
setting.  But  where  the  wheel  is  run  but  ten  minutes,  as  above 
stated,  there  is  only  the  slightest  trace  of  said  figure  on  the  grain, 
and  at  the  same  time  nearly  retaining  the  satin  feeling,  as  when 
coming  from  the  bate.  A  sweet,  pure  liquor  is  very  essential  in  the 
first  stages  ;  it  should  also  be  cold,  and  be  run  directly  from  the 
leaches.  Tanners  make  a'serious  mistake  in  using  weak,  sour  and 
often  ropy  liquors  in  the  handling,  or  of  running  a  sweet  liquor  into 
a  filthy  wheel  that  has  not  been  cleaned  out  for  months,  as  is  fre- 
quently the  case.  Such  a  mess  of  filth  will  contaminate  the  purest 
liquors  from  the  leaches  and  cause  the  ^rain  of  the  hides  to  be 
streaked,  and  of  a  dull,  brownish  color.  Fact  and  fancy  may  be 
classed  as  twin  brothers.  The  tanner  who  does  not  cater  to  fancy 
nowadays,  will  find  himself  at  the  tail  end  of  the  procession,  strug- 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  09 

gling  to  catch  up  with  those  more  enterprising.  The  result  of  the 
ten  minutes'  wheeling  in  a  sweet  liquor,  providing  the  lime  and 
filth  is  thoroughly  removed  from  the  hides  in  the  beam-house,  will 
be  a  uniform  and  beautiful  shade  of  lemon  which  will  naturally 
change  to  that  of  orange,  as  the  leather  progresses  in  the  tanning,  es- 
pecially wherein  hemlock  bark  is  employed. 

SUSPENDING  IN  PITS. 

The  question  has  been  frequently  asked :  ' '  "What  is  the  differ- 
ence between  buff  leather  and  imitation  calf? ' '  The  former,  one 
of  the  staple  products  in  the  New  England  states  for  many  years, 
has  been  used  as  a  substitute  for  calfskins.  The  grain  is  entirely 
huffed  off  and  the  style  of  finish  does  not  greatly  vary  from  that  of 
imitation  calf,  or  what  is  known  as  "Glace  Calf,"  "Satinoil," 
"Satin  Calf,"  etc.  These  later  styles  have  greatly  displaced  the 
use  of  buff  leather  on  account  of  the  milder  tannage,  resulting  in 
tougher  and  more  pliable  'eather  for  fine  shoe  purposes.  The  chief 
difference  in  the  manufacture  is  in  preparing  the  hides  in  the  beam- 
house.  Hides  for  buff  leather  purposes,  range  from  forty  to  sixty 
pounds,  averaging  about  fifty-two  pounds,  and  consisting  of  young 
steers  and  cows.  In  preparing  them  for  the  limes,  the  work  does 
not  vary  materially,  but  in  connection  with  lime,  soda-ash  and 
brimstone  are  used  ;  the  bating  is  dispensed  with  and  the  hides  are 
merely  washed  in  a  wheel  with  warm  water  after  they  are  un- 
haired.  The  soda-ash  and  sulphur  act  as  a  bate,  and  the  lime  used 
in  connection  with  them  is  robbed  of  its  caustic  properties  during 
the  process  of  removing  the  hair,  imparting  to  the  grain  a  fine 
silky  feeling,  similar  to  that  it  has  when  coming  from  the  bate. 
The  hides,  after  being  fine-haired,  are  either  handled  a  few  mo- 
ments in  the  coloring  wheel  or  immediately  nailed  upon  sticks  and 
suspended  in  the  pits.  A  thicker  grain  is  obtained  by  this  pro- 
cess of  removing  the  hair  than  can  be  secured  through  lime  alone. 
Consequently  a  heavier  bufl&ng  can  be  taken  off  in  the  finishing 
without  cutting  into  the  gelatinous  tissue.  To  produce  the  full 
flanks  and  thick  grain,  stronger  liquors  are  employed,  and  when 
tanned  the  hide  is  naturally  tender,  particularly  when  split  down  to 
a  light  substance. 

The  tannage  of  imitation  calf,  which  we  will  now  resume  and 
carry  to  completion,  will  be  comparatively  mild,  and  the  time  they 
are  suspended  in  the  pits  will  not  exceed  twenty-eight  days.  The 
true  secret  of  making  this  stock  will  be  in  the  re-tanning  after  be- 


100  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

ing  split,  and  not  having  "tumbled"  to  this  secret,  to  use  a  cur- 
rent phrase,  many  tanners  have  failed  ia  their  endeavor  to  produce 
leather  of  full,  fine  flanks,  strength  of  fiber  and  supple  qualities, 
so  requisite  for  this  class  of  stock. 

TANNERY    AND    PIT   CAPACITY. 

The  more  modern  tanneries  are  so  constructed  that  the  beam- 
house  and  tannery  are  practically  one,  or  they  are  situated  on  the 
ground  floor,  so  that  no  retrograde  movement  of  the  hides  may  take 
place  after  they  are  once  on  their  journey  from  the  beam-house.  It 
also  enables  the  foreman  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  men  in  both  depart- 
ments at  the  same  time.  It  will  only  be  necessary  to  give,  at  this 
time,  the  size  of  the  pits,  as  former  chapters  of  this  series  have  entered 
into  details  as  to  the  construction  of  tanneries,  with  diagram  of  the 
same.  The  pits  are  supposed  to  be  what  are  known  as  the  ' '  Buf- 
falo ' '  pit,  single  or  double.  When  double,  or  wishing  to  include 
the  full  pack  of  one  hundred  sides,  the  pits  for  suspending  should 
be  8x8  feet,  and  5}^  feet  deep.  These  proportions  will  give  ample 
room  for  suspending  the  sides.  The  sticks  should  be  of  the  follow- 
ing dimensions  :  Three  inches  wide,  one-half  inch  thick  and  about 
one-half  inch  shorter  than  the  length  of  the  pit,  to  prevent  wedging 
or  binding  when  putting  in  or  taking  out  the  pack.  Near  each  end 
of  the  sticks,  bore  a  hole  one-fourth  inch  in  diameter  and  connect 
to  them  stout  cords  or  lace  leather,  of  sufficient  length  to  insert  in 
the  incisions  cut  by  the  beamsters  in  head  arid  butt,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  keying  the  hides  together  for  reeling  in  the  limes.  At  the 
bottom  center,  on  thin  edge  of  the  sticks,  insert  a  brass  screw,  with 
gimlet  thread  attachment,  and  at  a  slight  angle  and  projecting 
nearly  one  inch,  the  hook  portion  being  on  a  line  with  the  stick. 

The  hides,  when  taken  from  the  coloring  wheel,  are  placed  on 
a  table,  grain  side  upwards,  backs  to  the  front.  The  operator  then 
takes  a  hand-spring  punch  and  cuts  n  hole  in  the  center  of  the  b^ck 
strips,  of  sufficient  depth  to  secure  strength  in  the  handling ;  he 
then  turns  outward  the  brass  hook  and  connects  it  with  the  hide  ; 
the  screw  is  then  turned  back,  the  point  of  it  coming  in  contact 
with  the  stick  to  prevent  it  from  becoming  detached  from  the  hide 
during  the  subsequent  handling.  The  cords  at  each  end  of  the 
stick  are  then  pulled  through  these  incisions,  slightly  tightened, 
and  tied  with  a  single  bow  knot.  There  should  be  no  straining  of 
the  cords,  but  let  it  be  rather  slack  than  otherwise,  for,  as  the  hides 
progress  in  tanning,  contraction  follows,  and  should  the  strain  be 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  101 

too  great  on  the  cords  the  backs  will  naturally  curl,  particularly 
the  shoulder  portion,  and  prevent  the  tannic  acid  from  penetrating 
those  portions.  As  fast  as  the  hides  are  connected,  throw  back  the 
sticks  upon  the  center  of  pile  until  such  time  as  it  will  be  necessary 
to  remove  and  suspend  them  in  the  pit,  where  several  packs  go  into 
the  tannery  daily.  This  work  can  be  performed  to  better  advantage 
with  the  aid  of  another  man.  But  where  one  pack  daily  comes  in 
and  the  same  amount  goes  out,  one  man  can  readily  do  the  connect- 
ing, suspending,  changing  of  packs  and  liquors,  and  also  attend  to 
their  coloring  in  the  wheel. 

Those  tanners  who  have  not  had  experience  in  suspending,  are 
inclined  to  the  belief  that  this  method  is  more  costly  than  throw- 
ing the  hides  into  pits,  and  pulling  them  out  daily.  But  such  is 
not  the  case  ;  fully  one  man's  time  may  be  saved  in  the  tannery  by 
suspending,  and  far  better  results  obtained  than  by  any  other  known 
method.  After  the  hides  are  once  suspended  the  labor  is  slight, 
and  where  not  crowded  in  the  pits  the  time  is  lessened  nearly  one- 
half,  and,  what  is  of  far  greater  importance,  the  tanner,  by  this 
method,  is  enabled  to  secure  full,  fine  flanks,  so  desirable  in  the 
cutting  of  either  upper  or  sole  leather.  The  liquor  for  first  immer 
sion  in  the  pits  need  not  be  as  strong  as  that  used  in  the  handling 
wheel,  say  from  three  to  four  degrees,  for,  as  previously  stated, 
leather  lying  or  suspended  in  the  pits,  and  in  a  dormant  condition, 
should  not  be  given  liquors  of  the  same  density  as  those  used  in 
a  wheel  and  frequently  agitated.  The  following  day  the  pack  is 
changed  from  pit  No.  i  to  No.  2.  Before  commencing  the  work, 
run  off"  the  exhausted  liquor  to  the  junk,  and  run  a  fresh  liquor  into 
No.  2  pit;  this  liquor  maybe  a  little  stronger,  and  of  fully  four  de- 
grees, but  practically  cold.  Then  place  wide  planks  on  the  stick 
bearings  of  each  pit,  and  take  two  or  three  sides  at  a  time  and  carry 
them  from  pit  No.  i,  and  lower  them  into  No.  2,  with  a  vibrating 
motion  when  touching  the  liquor  so  that  should  any  of  the  flanks  be 
doubled,  they  may  be  opened  out  to  receive  the  liquor.  When  the 
pack  is  changed  over,  run  in  sufficient  liquor  to  entirely  fill  the  pit. 
This  operation  to  be  continued  daily,  each  time  grade  up  the  strength 
of  liquor,  never  allowing  as  weak  or  weaker  runs  to  be  used  as  in 
the  first  immersion.  There  should  be  no  advancing  or  retreating. 
"  Onward  and  upward"  should  be  the  tanner's  motto,  from  the  time 
the  hides  come  into  the  tannery  until  they  are  tanned.  If  the  hide 
once  "falls  away"  for  want  of  suflScient  nourishment  in  the  early 


102  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


stages,  that  plump,  healthy  feeling  and  appearance  can  never  be 
regained,  though  liquors  of  great  density  be  employed.  There  is 
as  much  danger,  however,  in  overfeeding  in  the  early  stages  as  in 
starving.  Hides,  after  coming  from  the  beam-house,  may  be  com- 
pared to  the  convalescent  patient  in  the  hospital  ward  ;  each  should 
receive  light  nourishment  until  the  body  or  tissue  has  regained  its 
former  healthy  condition,  when  stronger  food  can  be  administered 
without  injury. 

CLASSIFICATIONS. 

To  produce  uniform  results  in  tanning,  more  attention  ought  to 
be  given  to  classifying  the  hides  in  the  hide  house.  A  fine  steer, 
for  instance,  or  cow  hide  should  not  be  allowed  to  keep  company 
during  their  journey  through  the  tannery,  with  a  coarse  ox  or  bull 
hide.  The  latter  will  more  greedily  devour  the  daily  rations,  tan- 
nic acid,  while  those  fine  textured  hides  will  fall  away,  resulting 
in  loss  of  weight  and  plumpness,  so  important  to  the  tanner.  This 
can  be  more  systematically  arranged  in  large  tanneries,  wherein 
several  packs  come  in  daily,  but  in  small  tanneries  it  would  not 
be  practicable  unless  the  tanner  was  making  some  one  specialty, 
and  purchased  a  straight  selection  of  hides.  To  secure  uniformity 
in  tanning,  age,  size,  weight  and  composition  must  be  considered. 
If  the  overland  stage  proprietor  is  purchasing  a  team  of  horses,  he 
requires  the  color  in  so  far  only  as  relates  to  fancy,  but  looks  to  it 
that  the  team  is  well  matched  as  to  size,  strength,  speed  and  endur- 
ance, so  that  one  will  not  have  to  bear  the  brunt  of  the  burden, 
and  before  reaching  the  terminus  fall  out  by  the  wayside  exhausted. 

CLEANLINESS. 

Next  in  importance  in  a  tannery  is  cleanliness.  No  filth  should 
be  allowed  to  accumulate  in  the  pits.  No  tannery  would  be  con- 
sidered complete  without  a  steam  force  pump,  with  water  and 
liquor  pipe  connections.  A  considerable  amount  of  water  is  re- 
quired daily  to  replace  the  absorption  from  the  freshly  ground  bark, 
waste  and  evaporation.  Therefore,  it  can  be  best  utilized  in  wash- 
ing out  the  pits.  When  changing  over  the  daily  packs,  and  when 
taking  out  a  pack  for  splitting,  have  the  rubber  hose  and  nozzle  at 
hand,  set  the  steam  pump  in  motion,  and  give  the  pits  and  sticks 
a  good  cleansing,  passing  off"  the  washings  to  the  junk  below,  to 
be  pumped  over  on  a  last  run  leach  for  washing  out  the  tannic  acid, 
held  in  solution,  and  use  the  products  from  it  on  a  newly  ground 
leach. 


GI.OVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF. 


103 


TIME  REQUIRED. 
The  time  required  for  tanning  this  class  of  stock  need  not  ex- 
ceed twenty-eight  days,  the  same  as  that  for  oil  grains.  During 
the  first  two  weeks  the  packs  should  be  changed  daily,  each  time 
slightly  increasing  the  strength  of  liquors  when  the  leather  will  be 
beyond  fear  of  falling  away,  and  can  then  remain  two  or  three 
days  in  a  more  distant  portion  of  the  yard,  called  the  ' '  relief  corps, ' ' 
so  as  not  to  prevent  the  succeeding  packs  from  filling  their  relative 
places  in  line.  Those  packs,  farther  advanced,  can  then  be  given 
stronger  liquors,  of  from  ten  to  twelve  degrees,  as  they  progress, 
and  at  the  expiration  of  twenty-eight  days  will  be  practically  tan- 
ned, showing  no  trace  of  green  hide  in  the  splitting,  still  there  will 
be  thick  portions  of  the  split  that  require  more  filling,  which  can 
be  more  quickly  and  economically  done  afterward. 


BARK    CRUSHER. 


104 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

PREPARATION   OP  BARK   AND   AMOUNT   REQUIRED. 

If  tanning  extremely  light  hides,  two  and  one-half  cords  of 
hemlock  bark  will  be  found  ample  to  tan  the  pack  of  fifty  hides  or 
one  hundred  sides,  and  also  the  splits,  whether  finished  or  sold  in 
the  rough.  The  sides,  after  splitting,  need  not  go  back  to  the 
tannery  again,  but  should  be  treated  according  to  the  instructions 
given  in  the  following  chapter.  The  splits  require  a  good  filling  of 
bark  after  being  taken  off,  and  are  first  run  for  thirty  minutes  in 
the  drum-wheel,  with  just  enough  gambier  liquor  of  fair  strength, 


Figi''2E0r  W  EI^^^BSBlL 


BARK  MILLS. 

to  put  them  in  good  condition  to  go  into  the  tannery  for  comple- 
tion, which  can  be  accomplished  in  about  ten  days.  To  save  fre- 
quent handling,  throw  them  into  an  England  wheel  and  run  the 
same  daily  for  a  few  minutes  at  a  time,  or  for  only  a  sufficient  pe- 
riod to  change  the  position  of  the  splits  and  liquor.  The  latter 
may  be  run  off  and  fresh  liquor  run  in  without  pulling  up  the  pack. 
This  will  be  found  necessary,  as  on  first  immersion  weaker  liquors 
should  be  used.  For  spready  cows,  fifty  to  sixty  pounds,  will  re- 
quire about  one  cord  more  of  bark  per  hundred  sides,  or  from  three 
and  a  quarter  to  three  and  a  half  cords  per  pack. 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  105 

GRINDING  AND   LEACHING. 

The  most  practical  and  economical  way,  to  the  writer's  mind, 
for  preparing  the  bark  for  leaching,  is  by  crushing,  but  the  im- 
mense power  required  and  the  consequent  friction,  have  prevented 
it  from  being  more  generally  applied.  Still,  this  method  is  used  by 
many,  the  bark  being  first  ground  coarsely  in  a  common  mill, 
thence  passing  into  the  hopper  or  crusher,  when  the  kernels  run 
through  powerful  rollers  that  thoroughly  crush  the  cells  and  then 
pass  into  the  conveyor  in  thin  leaves  or  flakes,  and  what  little  dust 
accumulates  in  the  grinding  is  firmly  packed  within  the  scraps  of 
crushed  bark.  These  scraps  may  be  reduced  to  powder  by  the 
simple  pressure  of  thumb  and  forefinger,  but  when  in  the  leaches 
they  swell  like  a  sponge  and  are  held  together  by  the  interweaving 
of  crushed  fibers,  thereby  preventing  packing  in  the  leaches,  and 
allowing  free  passage  of  liquor  in  the  running  off. 

The  tannic  acid  can  be  readily  extracted,  and  with  little  if  any 
steam  used  in  the  process.  There  are  other  mills  receiving  a  good 
share  of  attention  which  shave  or  plane  the  bark  diagonally  across 
the  cells,  the  product  being  in  the  shape  of  shavings  which  lay 
very  light  and  spongy  in  the  leaches.  A  saving  of  some  25  per 
cent,  it  is  claimed,  is  made  over  the  old  method  of  grinding. 
Either  of  these  mills  is  a  decided  improvement,  and  both  are  saving 
the  tanners  much  money  in  their  use. 

BARK-SHAVING   MILL. 

Every  tanner  has  his  own  method  of  leaching  bark,  and  the 
number  of  runs  from  such  leach  secured.  The  conveyor  system  of 
carrying  the  bark  from  mill  to  leaches,  and  the  spent  bark  to  the 
fire-room,  has  its  advantages  over  the  floating  system  of  the  bark 
from  the  mill,  as  by  this  the  spent  bark  cannot  be  disposed  of  as 
readily  and  cheaply.  The  press  system  of  leaching  is*more  generally 
adopted,  as  by  it  purer  liquors  are  obtained.  The  pumping  over 
of  exhaust  liquors  on  to  head  leach,  the  same  passing  through  and 
before  forced  from  bottom  of  No.  i  to  top  of  No.  2,  and  so  on  through- 
out the  entire  system.  By  this  system  the  bark  is  almost  contin- 
ually being  percolated,  the  liquors  purified,  and  of  greater  density 
than  where  the  leaching  is  confined  chiefly  to  that  in  which  the 
bark  is  ground.  A  few  tanners  have  suitable  facilities  and  ample 
steam  capacity  for  heating  their  liquors  to  a  very  high  temperature, 
or  boiling  heat,  and  then  pass  the  liquor  into  coolers  before  going 
into  the  yard.      By  this  means  all  foreign  matter  is  extracted,  and 


106  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

what  has  not  passed  off  in  vapor  will  form  in  scale,  similar  to  that 
produced  through  impure  water  in  boilers,  and  when  filtered 
through  the  several  leaches,  as  by  the  press  system,  practically  if 
not  virtually,  may  produce  pure  liquors.  But  where  the  tanner  uses 
heat  less  than  boiling  point,  leaving  all  the  impurities  in  the  bark  and 
liquor,  he  will  find  it  detrimental  towards  producing  a  good,  healthy 
color  to  the  leather.  On  this  principle  some  men  take  pills  or  medi- 
cine to  clear  their  livers  of  bile.  If  the  dose  is  not  sufiicient  to 
fulfill  its  work,  the  patient  finds  himself  worse  than  before,  as  the 
bile  has  been  stirred  up  pretty  effectually,  the  same  as  water  or 
bark  liquors  at  a  too  low  temperature,  but  not  sufficient  to  pass  off 
either  the  steam  or  bile.  Therefore,  it  is  safer  for  the  tanner,  not 
having  ample  facilities  for  steaming,  cooling,  etc. ,  to  use  only  me- 
dium warm  liquors,  which  are  secured  by  running  the  spent  liquor 
from  junk  to  leaches,  through  the  exhaust  steam  box,  until  the 
oldest  leach  is  about  ready  for  pitching,  and  then  run  on  clear  water 
and  steam  up  the  same,  using  the  washing  to  run  over  on  a  fresh 
ground  leach. 

PREPARING   FOR   SKIVING. 

After  being  sammied,  take  one  side  at  a  time  and  lay  it  on  the 
table  and  dampen  it,  with  a  sheep  skin  swab  and  water,  to  a  uni- 
form condition  ;  then  go  over  the  grain  side  with  a  light  dressing 
of  cod  and  paraffine  oil,  with  two-thirds  of  the  former  to  one-third 
of  the  latter  oil  in  the  mixture.  When  the  pack  is  completed 
take,  for  example,  twenty-five  sides,  according  to  the  dimensions 
of  the  wheel,  which,  if  built  in  similar  proportions  to  the  stuffing- 
wheel,  will  be  eight  feet  in  diameter,  four  feet  wide,  inside  measure, 
and  will  contain  oak  pins  irregularly  studded  and  inserted  in  the 
circumference.  Such  a  sized  wheel  will  have  a  capacity  for  the 
number  of  sides  specified.  No  water  or  steam  connections  are  re- 
quired for  this  work.  Put  in  the  sides  and  connect  the  belt  running 
around  the  center  circumference  of  the  wheel  to  the  pulley,  then  ap- 
ply the  tightener,  and  set  the  wheel  in  motion,  and  run  it  for  twenty 
minutes  in  the  same  condition  as  was  taken  from  trimming  table. 
This  pin-blocking  process  will  give  to  the  leather  a  mellow  feeling, 
and  to  the  sides  their  natural  contour,  for  after  the  hides  have  been 
suspended  to  sticks  and  hung  in  the  pits  for  four  weeks,  supported 
only  in  the  center  and  at  each  end,  they  change  their  original  shape 
on  the  back  strip  through  contraction  in  the  tanning  process.  But 
during  this  milling  they  resume  their  former  character  and  are  more 
easily  manipulated  by  skiver,  splitter  and  shaver. 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  107 

SKIVING. 

If  the  belt  knife  machine  is  not  at  hand,  recourse  may  be  had  to 
the  revolving  or  thumping  machine  for  removing  the  flesh.  This 
has  hands  at  intervals,  with  stone  or  steel  slicker  attached,  and  is 
of  similar  construction  to  the  polishing  machine.  If  neither  of 
these  machines  is  at  hand,  the  operator  will  have  to  fall  back  to 
skiving  by  hand,  with  head  knife  over  a  stake.  But  the  belt-knife 
machine  is  far  ahead  of  anything  yet  invented  for  this  work,  as  it 
is  capable  of  doing  five  hundred  sides  daily.  The  skivings,  as 
taken  off,  greatly  resemble  a  lace  shawl,  and  have  greater  value 
than  hand  skivings  for  shoddy  work.  There  will  not  be  found  cuts 
and  stabs  as  in  hand  skiving.  In  skiving  by  machine  the  sides  are 
reversed  from  that  of  splitting,  being  fed  into  the  machine  flesh 
uppermost,  the  uneven  portions  passing  downwards,  while  the 
flesh  is  separated  uniformly  on  the  entire  surface  of  the  side,  and, 
if  required,  the  blood  veins  may  be  removed  in  a  measure,  where 
the  splits  are  to  be  used  for  flesh  finish. 

BARB-WIRE  IMPERFECTIONS 

After  the  leather  has  been  skived,  place  upon  a  table,  one  side 
at  a  time,  grain  uppermost,  and  trim  ofi"  all  superfluous  parts; 
then,  by  the  aid  of  a  miniature  buffing  slicker,  snuff"  off"  all  imper- 
fections caused  through  barb-wire  scratches  or  horn  marks.  Should 
any  such  imperfections  be  too  deeply  cut  into  the  grain,  it  is  not 
advisable  to  entirely  remove  them,  for  when  finished  they  will  show 
up  quite  prominently,  leaving  in  places  coarse  patches  which  will 
eventually  consign  sides  so  marked  to  the  B,  or  No.  2  selections. 
It  is  very  important  that  the  snuffing  off"  of  imperfections  should 
be  done  before  splitting  the  leather,  for  by  so  doing  a  uniform  sub- 
stance throughout  the  side  is  secured.  It  is  at  this  stage  of  the 
work  that  the  tanner  learns  the  evil  effects  of  barb-wire  fences,  and 
from  which  he  seems  to  have  no  redress.  He  pays  for  No.  i  hides, 
to  all  appearances,  but  after  the  hair  is  removed  he  finds  some 
seventy-five  per  cent  of  the  leather  more  or  less  damaged. 

THE   TREACHEROUS   BARB. 

Tanners,  particularly  those  engaged  in  making  grain  and  fair 
leather,  have  everj^  reason  to  complain  of  the  deleterious  effects  on 
hides  from  the  use  of  barb-wire  fences.  However  particular  they 
may  be  in  selecting  their  hides,  they  are  unable  to  peer  into  and 
beyond  the  hair  covering  to  the  cuticle  until  after  they  are  limed, 
and  the  hair  removed.  Then  the  numerous  railway  lines,  switches 
and  side-tracks  are  plainly  discernible. 


108  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

It  is  safe  in  making  the  assertion  tliat  fully  seventy -five  per  cent 
of  the  hides  gathered  at  the  packing  houses  and  throughout  the 
"West  are  more  or  less  damaged  by  coming  in  contrct  with  barb-wire 
fences.  Farmers  and  stock  raisers  have  spent  millions  of  dollars 
for  wire  fences  to  keep  their  cattle  from  running  astray,  but  little 
did  they  dream  that  for  every  dollar  thus  spent  for  self-protection, 
they  have  indirectly  caused  a  loss  of  two  or  more  dollars  to  the 
tanners,  in  hide  damage.  It  may  be  asked,  "  What  are  they  going 
to  do  about  it?"  It  would  be  a  very  difficult  matter  at  this  late 
day  to  legislate  against  such  a  gigantic  industry,  since  the  barb- 
wire  has  been  planted  around  countless  acres  of  range,  ranch  and 
nearly  every  grazing  lot  among  the  farmers  throughout  the  country. 

It  is  claimed,  and  with  some  degree  of  truth,  that  a  simple  wire 
without  the  barb  would  fail  to  keep  the  cattle  in  an  inclosure,  as 
they  would  break  down  the  wire  or  work  through  the  strains,  were 
there  no  pointed  barbs  as  pickets  to  warn  them  of  the  danger  of  so 
doing.  Improvements  have  been  made  in  that  of  substituting  a 
revolving  spur  in  place  of  a  stationary  barb,  but  from  some  cause, 
unsatisfactorily  explained,  it  has  not  to  any  extent  been  adopted. 
It  has  all  the  safeguards  necessary  to  prevent  cattle  from  breaking 
down  the  fences,  and  is  far  more  humane  in  its  workings.  It  acts 
on  the  same  principal  as  the  spur  to  the  horse,  but  it  does  not  tear 
the  hide  as  the  stationary  barb  does.  Perhaps  this  harmless  and 
humane  invention  is  not  controlled  by  trust  monopolies.  Otherwise 
it  would  have  been  more  generally  introduced.    Should  the  tanners 

TAKE  A   DECIDED   STAND 

in  opposition  to  the  use  of  the  treacherous  barb-wire,  they  would 
in  all  probability  receive  from  the  cattle  raisers  an  answer  of  about 
the  same  purport,  as  did  the  patrons  of  Vanderbilt's  railway  lines 
— "The  tanners  be  d — d.  We  are  not  raising  cattle  for  the  hides, 
but  for  beef  purposes."  Very  true,  but  when  the  hide  covering 
which  has  protected  the  beef  during  maturity  brings  more  money 
per  pound  than  the  beef,  it  is  about  time  the  tanners  had  some  say 
as  to  what  they  should  pay  for  hides  thus  badly  disfigured  while 
on  duty  protecting  the  beef. 

But  how  is  the  result  to  be  secured  ?  There  is  nothing  easier 
snould  the  tanners  consult  their  own  interests  and  work  together. 
First,  let  those  who  are  making  sole,  harness,  skirting,  grain  and 
fair  leathers  a  specialty,  ascertain  the  average  damage  caused  by 
barb-wire  scratches  in  miscellaneous  runs  of  hides.    Let  them  also 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  109 


keep  a  daily  account  of  the  number  of  blemishes  per  hide,  and 
when  the  leather  is  finished,  estimate  the  loss  solely  caused  by  this 
damage,  as  most  all  other  blemishes  are  discernible  when  purchas- 
ing the  hides,  and  are  sold  on  their  merits.  I>arn  what  proportion 
of  the  leather  finished  goes  into  the  B  and  No.  2  selections,  which 
should  have  made  No.  i  had  it  not  been  for  the  barb-wire  scratches. 
Compare  notes  with  your  neighbors.  Give  the  results  of  the  same 
through  the  trade  papers.  Establish  a  price  consistent  with  the 
loss  through  the  use  of  barb-wire  fences,  and  demand  your  hides 
on  that  basis. 

"UNSIGHT  AND  UNSEEN." 

Buying  hides  at  the  present  time  is  on  about  the  same|principle 
of  the  boys  who  swap  jack-knives  "unsight  and  unseen."  After 
the  interchange  is  made  one  discovers  he  has  a  knife  handle  without 
blades ;  the  other  may  have  one  or  more  parts  of  blades,  but  finds 
the  horn  or  ivor}'  handle  missing.  Whenever  this  ' '  unsight  and 
unseen"  hide  damage  shall  have  been  decided  upon,  the  tanners 
should  individually  and  collectively  demand  the  reduction  of  prices 
in  round  lots,  commensurate  with  the  actual  loss  sustained.  It  may 
seem  strange,  but  such  is  the  fact,  that  the  hides  of  older  and 
larger  cattle  are  freer  from  scratches  than  those  from  young  cattle. 
The  older  cows  and  steers  have  learned  wisdom.  After  one  or 
more  attacks  of  the  barb-wire  fence  they  give  it  a  wide  berth,  while 
the  young  heifers,  cows  and  bulls  frequently  get  on  a  rampage, 
and,  instead  of  covering  themselves  with  glory  as  to  which  were 
the  fleetest  of  foot  and  the  highest  jumpers,  cover  themselves  with 
barb-wire  scratches  from  horns  to  tails. 

The  present  and  prospective  supply  of  hides  is  more  than  ample 
for  all  practical  wants.  Tanners  need  have  no  fears  of  hide  scarcity 
or  famine,  and  hides  that  are  not  suitable  for  one  class  of  leather 
can  be  put  into  another  class  and  sold  on  their  merits.  Then  tan- 
ners can  return  the  compliment  and  say,  "The  farmers  and  cattle 

raisers  be  d ,  if  they  choose  to  mutilate  the  hides  let  them 

pocket  the  loss." 

CLASSIFICATIONS. 

The  leather  is  now  in  condition  to  be  split,  but  we  will|first 
select  those  sides  most  suited  for  the  class  of  work  intended,  viz  : 
Imitation  calf  or  glove  leather.  In  the  first  place,  plumpness  of 
shoulders  and  flanks  should  receive  careful  consideration  in  the 
selection.     It  is  not  as  important  that  the  grain  should  be  free  of 


110  IvBATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

scratches,  unless  too  deeply  engraven,  as  it  is  that  this  class  of 
leather  should  be  buffed  on  the  grain  before  finishing  ;  but  avoid 
putting  in  too  spready  or  large  sides,  plump  steers  and  heifers  being 
a  more  desirable  pattern.  Put  large  spready  cows,  where  not  too 
badly  disfigured,  into  oil  shoe  grains.  Those  of  a  thinner  and 
spready  nature,  which  are  free  from  barb-wire  scratches,  put  into 
imitation  goat,  as  this  style  of  finish  requires  the  grain  to  be  prac- 
tically free  from  scratches  or  abrasions,  as  the  grain  is  not  buffed 
off  in  the  finishing  as  in  imitation  calf  and  oil  shoe  grains.  The 
coarse  neck  steers  and  cows  and  those  otherwise  badly  mutilated 
on  the  grain,  should  be  put  into  wax  upper  or  collar  leather.  When 
splitting  for  imitation  calf  it  will  be  necessary  to  make  five  selec- 
tions, viz  :  Light,  light  medium,  plump  light  medium,  medium, 
and  heavy  medium,  and  varying  in  substance  from  three  to  six 
ounces  per  square  foot.  These  classifications  are  better  known  in 
the  trade  as  "A.  I^.,"  "A.  L.  M.,"  "A.  P.  I^.  M.,"  "A.  M.,"  and 
''A.  H.  M.,"  in  the  first  selections,  and  when  of  the  second  selec- 
tion, B  is  prefixed,  and  of  the  third,  C,  or  No.  2.  The  above 
grades  also  apply  to  oil  shoe  grains  and  imitation  goat,  and  other 
fine  leathers  for  shoe  purposes. 

ASSORTING  AND  TRIMMING  THK  SPLITS. 

If  making  splits  of  flesh  finish  exclusively,  select  out  the  same 
when  trimming,  leaving  all  the  offal  on  those  destined  to  be  re- 
tanned  and  sold  in  the  rough  state.  Those  intended  for  flesh  finish 
should  be  selected  carefully  as  to  cuts,  scores  and  other  imperfections 
on  the  flesh  that  cannot  be  practically  removed  in  the  skifl&ng  and 
shaving.  Trim  closely,  removing  all  thin  portions  on  shoulders, 
also  keeping  in  mind  that  the  plumper  steery  splits  are  better 
adapted  for  grain  finish,  or  to  be  sold  in  the  rough,  for  weights 
above  medium  and  heavy  medium  are  unsalable  in  flesh  finish, 
and  ranging  from  eighteen  to  thirty-two  pounds  per  dozen  when 
finished. 

When  the  leather  is  not  skived  too  close  it  is  advisable  to  take 
a  skifiing  from  the  flesh  side  by  either  the  belt-knife  or  union 
machine,  the  former  is  preferable,  but  first  take  the  slab  from  off 
the  grain  or  split  side,  then  take  a  thin  skifiing,  just  sufficient  to 
split  the  blood  veins,  when  they  are  passed  over  to  the  shaver  to 
touch  over  any  spots  that  the  machine  knife  failed  to  remove,  un- 
less done  at  the  expense  of  the  thicker  portions  when  the  slight 
traces  of  veins  would  have  been  obliterated  altogether.      We  must 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  Ill 

not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  flesh  finish  splits  are  intended  to 
represent  wax  calfskins,  and  are  very  generally  used  as  a  substitute 
in  making  shoes.  No  better  pattern  could  be  given  to  follow  than 
the  traces  of  blood  veins  on  the  palm  of  the  hand,  neither  too 
prominent  nor  inconspicuous,  for  where  too  prominent  when  finished 
they  will  have  to  be  classed  as  "B's,"  or  second  selection,  and 
when  entirely  removed  would  be  similar  to  the  grain  finish,  and 
would  fail  to  command  the  prices  paid  for  flesh  finished  splits. 

RETANNING  THE  SPLITS. 
After  shaving,  take  say  one  hundred  splits  and  put  them  into 
the  drum- wheel,  then  put  in  two  pails  of  strong  gambler  liquor, 
and  about  the  same  of  water,  or  bark  liquor ;  no  more  liquors 
should  be  put  within  the  wheel  than  the  [splits  will  absorb, 
then  set  the  wheel  in  motion  and  run  for  thirty  minutes.  Continue 
the  same  until  some  five  hundred  splits  are  thus  prepared,  and  then 
take  them  to  the  tanner}^ ;  this  number  will  make  a  pack  for  a  large 
sized  handling-wheel  or  double  pit.  To  save  time  and  labor  throw 
them  into  the  England  handling- wheel,  in  a  liquor  of  eight  to  ten 
degrees  strength,  and  run  the  wheel  but  a  few  moments  at  a  time, 
or  j  ust  long  enough  to  change  the  position  of  splits  and  agitate  the 
liquor.  As  the  strength  of  the  liquor  becomes  exhausted,  pull  the 
plug,  and  run  it  off"  into  the  junk,  and  run  in  fresh  liquor  from  the 
leaches  of  twelve  degrees  density,  or  a  first  run,  and  continue  the 
changes  as  mentioned  several  times  daily,  and  at  the  expiration  of 
ten  days  the  splits  should  be  well  tanned  and  filled,  and  withal 
weighty.  It  should  be  remembered  that  we  are  now  working  to 
secure  weight,  as  also  a  fine  finish,  and  should  the  splits  be  slack 
tanned  they  would  naturally  be  open,  coarse,  and  ragged  when 
finished.  When  well  tanned  they  will  carry  more  grease  than 
where  starved,  or  wherein  the  cells  are  not  thoroughly  filled  with 
tannic  acid.  Although  not  a  believer  in  the  use  of  gambler  exclu- 
sively in  tanning  upper  stock  from  cow  hides  or  calfskins,  still  I 
have  great  faith  in  it  as  a  retanning  agent,  in  connection  with  hem- 
lock bark.  The  latter  is  of  a  more  harsh  and  brittle  nature  than 
oak  bark  or  most  other  tanning  agents,  while  the  gambler  liquors 
are  of  far  greater  density,  and  one  of  the  strongest  tanning  agents  ; 
it  has  a  tendency  to  relax  the  fibres  of  hard  tanned  leather,  and 
produces  more  supple  and  tougher  leather  than  that  wherein  hem- 
lock bark  is  used  exclusively.  Were  it  not  for  this  fact,  the  pack 
of  splits,  which  we  have  been  retanning  in  the  England  wheel  with 


112  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

a  strong  bark  liquor,  would  be  taken  to  the  scouring  table  ;  but 
before  doing  so,  and  after  having  been  well  drained  by  laying  in 
pile,  take  them  again  to  the  drum-wheel  and  give  them  another 
dose  of  gambier  liquor,  of  fully  twenty  degrees  density,  and  all 
they  will  absorb  without  waste,  and  then  run  the  wheel  for  thirty 
minutes,  after  which  the  splits  will  not  only  become  more  weighty 
and  greatly  improved  in  color,  but  will  be  mellow  ;  the  former 
rigid  feeling,  as  coming  from  the  tannery,  will  be  broken,  and  the 
splits  will  more  readily  submit  to  the  subsequent  manipulations. 

SPI.ITTING. 

The  belt  knife  machine  was  first  introduced  to  the  trade  along 
in  the  60' s,  but  great  trouble  was  experienced  in  securing  expert 
operators,  as  at  that  time  it  was  one  of  the  most  complicated  ma- 
chines used  in  the  leather  manufacture.  But  of  late  years  great 
improvements  have  been  made  in  the  knife  grinding  apparatus,  as 
also  in  manipulating  the  knife  jaws,  so  as  to  hold  the  knife  in  firm 
position.  This  machine  is  now  a  great  favorite  with  tanners  mak- 
ing light  and  fancy  grains,  book-binding  and  pocket-book  leather. 
It  performs  its  best  work  the  nearer  the  belt-knife  comes  to  the 
grain,  and  the  leather  requires  less  shaving  than  that  split  by 
the  union  machine.  In  heavier  grades  of  leather,  such  as  wax  up- 
per, heavy  boot  grains,  and  collar  leather,  complaints  are  made 
that  it  will  not  perform  its  work  as  satisfactorily  as  on  light.  Yet 
the  writer  has  operated  it  on  all  classes  of  leather,  and  with  highly 
gratifying  results.  In  leveling  splits  for  flesh  finish,  the  union  ma- 
chine will  do  its  work  more  evenly  in  removing  the  slab  from  grain 
or  split  side.  Then  take  them  to  the  belt-knife  machine  and  re- 
move a  skiff  from  the  entire  surface,  of  sufficient  size  to  split  the 
veins,  and  this  can  be  done  far  more  safely  and  evenly  than  is  gen- 
erally done  by  hand. 

This  machine  is  very  generally  used  for  skiving  in  large  tan- 
neries, wherein  heavier  grades  of  leather  are  made,  and  the  splitting 
is  done  by  the  union  machine  ;  but  for  fine  light  leather  it  is  used 
in  preference  to  the  union  machine,  there  being  no  strain  whatever 
on  the  leather  as  it  passes  through,  consequently  no  tearing  or  dis- 
figuring the  sides.  One  hundred  sides  per  day  is  considered  a 
good  day's  work  on  imitation  calf  for  the  union  machine  splitter, 
including  the  trimming  of  heads  and  flanks,  whereas  with  the  belt- 
knife  two  men,  one  to  feed  in  the  sides,  the  other  to  gauge  and 
pile  them  away,  can  split  from  four  to  five  hundred  sides  daily, 


GLOVE  GRAIN  VS.  IMITATION  CALF.  113 

and  at  the  same  time  secure  larger  splits  and  a  greater  percentage 
ofoflfal.  When  splitting  very  light  leather  it  is  advisable  to  first 
stone  out  the  head  and  flank  portions  on  the  grain  side  by  the  jack 
machine,  as  the  leather  is  fed  into  the  machine  and  against  the  re- 
volving knife,  in  place  of  being  wound  over  a  cylinder  and  drawn 
against  a  stationarj^  knife,  as  with  the  union  machine  ;  in  the  for- 
mer, there  being  no  strain  on  the  sides,  the  contracted,  or  pleated 
portions,  will  be  apt  to  become  sucked  and  run  down  to  a  thinner 
substance  than  the  more  plump  and  firm  body  portions. 

SHAVING. 

It  has  been  the  custom  to  shave  over  the  entire  side  after  com- 
ing from  the  splitting  machine,  and  at  a  cost  of  about  four  cents 
per  side,  the  same  being  paid  for  splitting.  But  I  consider  this  a 
waste  of  money  and  material,  providing  the  splitter  is  competent 
to  perform  the  work.  The  shaver,  however  expert  he  may  be  in 
handling  the  head-knife,  cannot  produce  a  more  even  surface  on 
the  body  portion  of  the  side  than  when  it  comes  from  the  machine, 
if  properly  split.  There  will  be  portions  of  the  side,  however,  that 
will  demand  touching  over  on  the  stake,  particularly  the  flanks 
and  heads,  wherein  the  machine  knife  failed  to  touch  them,  and 
more  especially  on  their  flanks,  as  all  adhering  flesh  must  be  re- 
moved, otherwise  when  the  sides  are  ready  for  bufiing  any  lumps 
on  that  side  will  injure  the  grain  when  the  buflSng  tool  is  applied. 
Therefore,  I  would  advise  for  this  work,  the  same  as  for  oil  grains, 
belly  shaving,  at  a  cost  of  about  one  and  a  half  cents  per  side. 
When  assorting  the  leather  for  the  several  named  styles  of  finish, 
it  is  well  to  have  some  mark,  so  that  each  may  be  readily  detected 
while  going  through  the  splitting  and  other  departments.  That 
which  represents  the  greatest  number,  for  instance,  imitation  calf, 
on  which  we  are  treating,  need  not  be  marked  ;  but  on  the  oil  shoe 
grains  punch  one  small  hole  near  the  tail,  on  imitation  goat  punch 
two  holes,  on  wax  upper  or  collar  three  holes.  Where  this  method 
is  strictly  adhered  to  it  will  save  much  time  and  annoyance  during 
retanning,  scouring,  setting  and  stufl&ng.  It  is  also  advisable 
when  in  the  act  of  assorting  to  note  the  lot  number  of  hides  stamped 
upon  the  butt  in  the  beam  house,  as  also  their  character ;  if  the 
hides  are  No.  i ,  for  instance,  no  mark  need  be  put  upon  them,  but 
if  B's,  second  selection  are  employed,  stamp  "A"  or  "B"  upon 
them.  The  former  is  more  frequently  adopted,  for  should  the  buyer 
discover  the  letter  "  B  "  branded  upon  the  sides  he  would  infer  it 


114  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

was  the  second  grade  of  leather  he  was  paying  a  No.  i  price  for, 
whereas  some  of  the  best  sides  in  pattern  and  quality  are  found  in 
the  "B"  selection,  and  as  frequently  the  opposite  in  the  No.  i 
selection.  Also  note  the  beamster's  private  marks,  which  will  give 
a  tracer  to  any  poor  workmanship  in  the  beam  house.  In  number- 
ing the  purchase  lots  of  hides  commence  at  No.  i ,  and  go  to  and 
include  No.  8,  and  then  return,  for  should  No.  9  be  used  it  would 
be  confusing  should  the  number  become  reversed  when  stamping 
and  indicate  No.  6.  No.  10  and  above  that  would  require  two 
characters,  and,  as  the  lower  numbered  lots  would  be  finished  be- 
fore the  duplicate  numbers  would  come  out  of  the  yard,  it  is  not 
practicable  to  use  higher  numbers,  as  the  object  for  which  it  is 
done  is  passed  upon  while  going  through  the  splitting  department. 

RETANNING   THE   SIDES. 

We  now  come  to  one  of  the  most  important  processes  in  making 
imitation  calf  or  glove  grain,  that  of  retanning.  To  produce  the 
required  firmness  of  flanks  and  buffing  qualities,  the  fiber  and  gela- 
tinous tissue  must  be  slightly  contracted  through  the  application  of 
astringents,  and  no  tanning  agent  has  yet  been  introduced  that  will 
secure  those  results  so  satisfactorily  as  gambler  and  sumac.  Hem- 
lock bark  has  superior  filling  properties,  but  is  of  too  harsh  a  nature, 
and  as  the  leather  at  this  stage  is  practically  tanned  with  hemlock 
bark,  we  now  need  to  combine  equally  astringent  agents,  those 
which  will  tone  down  the  harsh  nature  of  hemlock  and  produce 
that  satin  feeling,  which  has  given  to  this  style  of  leather  its  great 
popularity  among  makers  of  fine  shoes.  This  combination  not  only 
produces  firm,  supple  and  tough  leather,  but  greatly  improves  the 
color  and  foundation  for  receiving  and  retaining  the  grain  black. 
The  great  popularity  of  the  dongola  kid  tannage  is  largely  due  to 
the  use  of  gambler  in  tanning.  The  liquor  is  prepared  as  follows  : 
Take  one  bale  of  gambler,  say  250  pounds,  and  cut  it  into  small 
pieces  and  put  into  a  tub,  capable  of  holding  eighty  gallons  of 
water  ;  insert  a  steam  pipe  and  thoroughly  dissolve  the  gambler, 
and  when  fairly  cool  skim  ofiF  all  foreign  matter,  and  it  is  then  ready 
for  use.  Put  within  the  drum-wheel  thirty  sides  of  split  leather 
and  ten  gallons  of  the  gambler  liquor  ;  then  add  two  gallons  of 
dry  American  sumac,  and  as  much  water  as  will  be  re- 
quired to  make  the  leather  wet,  without  dripping,  and  set  the 
wheel  in  motion  and  run  it  for  thirty  minutes.  The  operator  will 
need  to  use  judgment  as  to  the  amount  of  water  put  within  the 


GLOVE  GRAIN  OR  IMITATION  CALF. 115 

wheel;  much  depends  on  the  condition  of  the  leather.  If  not  too  dr>', 
two  pails  of  water  will  be  sufficient,  but  should  the  leather  fail  to 
ftilly  absorb  it  during  the  process,  lessen  the  amount  of  water  in 
order  to  prevent  waste  of  liquor  when  taking  the  leather  from  the 
wheel.  The  leather  is  then  packed  in  boxes  by  doubling  the  side, 
flesh  outwards,  and  in  a  snug  pile,  there  to  remain  for  ten  to  twelve 
hours  before  scouring.  The  stock  will  improve  on  the  condition 
it  is  in  when  coming  from  the  wheel  and  grow  the  same  as  when 
immersed  in  a  pit  containing  a  good  liquor.  The  cost  of  retanning 
by  the  above  method  will  be  from  seven  to  eight  cents  per  side. 
Far  better  results  will  thus  be  accomplished  in  thirty  minutes  with 
the  above  ingredients,  than  would  be  obtained  in  an  open  pit  con- 
taining a  strong  liquor  for  several  days.  Where  hemlock  tanned 
leather  is  employed  for  grain  finish,  the  black  will  fade  and  grow 
rusty  by  age,  unless  sumac  or  gambler  are  used  for  retanning,  after 
it  has  been  split.  Oak  extract  will  answer  the  same  purpose,  and 
may  be  used  alone  with  good  results  on  imitation  goat  and  oil 
grains. 

SCOURING  AND  SAMMIEING. 

The  scouring  is  done  by  either  hand  labor,  or  scouring 
machine,  as  circumstances  permit.  It  is  necessary  to  scour 
only  upon  the  grain  side.  Dip  the  side  into  a  tub  of  clean  water, 
as  wanted,  and  spread  it  upon  the  table,  grain  upwards,  and  go 
over  it  with  a  stone  tool,  until  all  the  old  grain  is  distributed,  giv- 
ing to  the  head  and  flanks  an  extra  stoning ;  rinse  off"  well  with 
clean  water,  then  go  over  the  grain  again  with  a  steel  slicker,  re- 
moving all  marks  of  the  former  tool,  at  the  same  time  expelling 
from  the  pores  and  cells  all  impurities,  also  the  bloom  which  nat- 
urally accumulates  on  the  cuticle  during  the  tanning  process. 

Should  these  foreign  matters  be  allowed  to  remain  on  the  leather 
it  would  fail  to  absorb  and  retain  the  required  complements  of 
greases  in  the  stuffing.  But  where  the  filth  is  thoroughly  worked 
out  of  the  hides  in  the  beam-house,  and  the  purity  of  bark  liquors 
maintained,  as  recommended  in  a  previous  chapter,  it  will  not  be 
lound  necessary,  at  this  stage,  to  give  the  leather  such  a  thorough 
scounng,  for  by  so  doing  a  good  percentage  of  the  tannin  and  fill- 
ing properties  are  forced  out,  more  particularly  when  scoured  on 
flesh  and  grain  side  ;  neither  should  the  leather,  after  coming  from 
the  tannery  or  wheel,  be  thrown  into  a  hot  water  bath,  nor  be 
allowed  to  remain  there  for  any  length  of  time  before  scouring. 


116  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

We  have  been  jealously  guarding  against  producing  loose,  open 
and  flanky  leather,  while  it  was  on  its  journey  through  the  tannery, 
and  after  being  split  and  re-tanned  with  a  view  to  further  improve 
the  flanks,  we  now  come  to  the  wrecker  of  our  hopes  and  aspira- 
tions— the   scouring   machine.       It  may  be  considered  as  the  twin 
brother  to  the  England  handling   wheel,  when  improperly  used  ; 
and  wherein  the  leather  has  received  the  needed  attention  in  the  tan- 
nery, it  is  a  mooted  question  whether  this  branch  of  the  work  may 
not  be  dispensed  with  altogether,  and  a  portion  of  the  time  and 
labor  carried  to  the  setting  account.     To  produce  firm  and  unyield- 
ing leather  it  must  be  scoured  and  set  out  firmly  on  both  flesh  and 
grain  by  machine,  but  to  produce  supple  and  elastic  leather,  that 
will  yield  to  the  strain  of  the  foot,  the   "  set "   should  not  be  en- 
tirely removed,  therefore  the  writer  would  not  advise  scouiing  or 
setting  the  leather  on  the  flesh  side,  especially  for  the  class  of 
leather   on  which  we  are  practically  illustrating.      After    being 
scoured  on  the  grain  and  slicked  ofi^,  go  over  the  surface  with  a 
light  coat  of  cod  and  paraffine  oil,  equal  parts,  r.nd  fold  in  book 
form  and  send  them  to  the  lofts  for  drying.     In  drying  scoured 
leather  for  mill  stuffing,  let  it  be  done  as  quickly  as  possible,  par- 
ticularly when  intended  for  the  class  of  stock  wherein  fineness  of 
fibre  and  firm  flanks  are  requisite.     All  of  the  water  should  be  ab- 
sorbed, and,  as  it  progresses,  the  light  dressing  of  oil  on  the  grain 
side  will  replace,  in  a  measure,  the  evaporation  and  prevent  the 
grain  from  becoming  crusty  when  dry,  and  will  act  as  a  preventive, 
when  dampening  the  leather  for  stufl&ng,  from  absorbing  too  much 
water. 

DAMPENING  THK  LEATHER. 
When  the  leather  is  thoroughly  dried  out,  weigh  it  up  in  batches 
of  two  hundred  pounds  each  ;  this  amount,  by  the  usual  test,  will 
be  equal  to  three  hundred  pounds  of  sammied  leather,  or  when  in 
proper  condition  to  go  into  the  stuflSng- wheel.  Then  take  the 
leather  to  the  stuffing  room  wherein  it  is  presumed  there  is  a  tank, 
having  steam  and  water  pipe  connections.  In  winter,  heat  the 
water  to  about  eighty  degrees  Fahrenheit,  as  this  will  greatly  aid 
in  maintaining  a  more  uniform  temperature  in  the  stufl5ng-wheel. 
Then  fold  the  sides  in  book  form  and  dip  into  the  water  quickly 
one-half  of  the  side,  flanks  first ;  theil  reverse  the  side,  dipping  in 
the  back  portion,  then  open  out  the  side  and  pile  on  to  a  table, 
grain  uppermost,  until  the  number  of  sides  for  each  wheel  is  thus 


GLOVE  GRAIN  OR  IMITATION  CALF.  117 

prepared,  being  careful  to  put  a  mark  between  each  batch,  to  pre- 
vent any  mistake  in  the  weight  when  getting  them  ready  for  the 
wheel.     After  the  several  batches  are  dipped  and  spread  out,  take 
a  sheepskin  swab  and  water  and  touch  up  any  dry  spots  noticeable, 
and,  at  the  same  time,  should  the  flanks  be  too  dry,  give  to  them  a 
larger  amount  than  to  the  fine  body  portions,  as  it  is  very  impor- 
tant that  the  coarse  flanks  should  be  well  filled  with  grease.     Wet 
leather,  or  comparatively  so,  will  carry  more  grease  than  when  too 
dry,  but  it  requires  a  few  moments  more  time  in  the  process,  and  a 
higher  temperature,  to  expel  the  moisture  from  within  the  pores 
and  cells  before  the  grease  can  replace  it.     The  dampener's  motto 
should  be  :    Neither  too  wet  nor  too  dry,  but  just  right.       When 
just  right  there  should  be  no  sign  of  dry  leather  on  any  portion  of 
the  side,  and  yet  not  too  wet  to  be  ragged.     The  safest  test  is  to 
double  the  side  on  body  and  flank  portions,  and  with  the  thumb 
and  forefinger  give  a  good  pressure  on  the  grain,  and  should  there 
be  signs  of  water  oozing  from  the  pores,  it  may  be  considered  as  in 
good  condition  to  receive  the  grease.     After  dampening,  pack  the 
sides  into  snug  piles,  flesh  out,   and  cover  them  over  with  wet 
leather,  or  bagging,   and   let   them   remain  thus   for  twenty-four 
hours  before  stufl5ng,  when  the  leather  will  be  found  of  uniform 
dampness  and  fairly  ripe.       It  is  the  practice  of  many  tanners  to 
dampen  their  leather,  and  then  immediately  take  it  to  the  Jstufiing- 
wheel,  but  it  is  much  better  to  keep  two  days'  stock  ahead  of  the 
stufFer,  when  the  leather  will  take  the  grease  more  uniformly  and 
retain  it  when  setting,  and  what  is  fully  as  important,  the  leather, 
on  grain  and  flesh,  will  show  a  delicate  lemon  shade,  in  place  of 
being  mottled  and  streaked.     A  good  dampener  and  stufier  cannot 
be  prized  too  highly  in  their  respective  departments.      The  latter 
has  a  great  responsibility,  and  through  any  neglect  or  oversight,  as 
to  the  temperature  of  his  greases  or  wheel,  great  loss  will  ensue. 

STUFFING   WHEEL   AND    GREASES. 

In  the  third  chapter  of  the  series,  a  detailed  description  was 
given  of  the  construction  of  the  wheel,  and  it  will  be  only  necessary 
to  repeat  as  to  its  size  and  capacity  in  order  to  provide  sufficient 
accommodations  for  the  several  batches  of  dampened  leather  now 
ready  to  be  immersed  into  a  bath  of  hot  greases.  The  wheel  should 
be  eight  feet  in  diameter  and  three  and  one-half  feet  wide,  inside 
measure  ;  not  a  few  are  built  four  feet  in  width,  but  the  former 
dimensions  are  more  practicable  and  large  enough  for  all  purposes. 


118  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

Use  direct  steam  in  place  of  coils  of  pipe  for  the  heating,  and  I 
would  further  suggest  as  a  safeguard,  that  a  steam  valve  and  stop- 
cock be  connected  to  the  supply  pipe,  the  former  in  the  usual  place 
and  the  latter  near  the  turned  axle.  It  frequently  happens  that 
the  seat  of  the  valve  becomes  so  worn  by  pinching  it,  that  the  steam 
is  allowed  to  escape  into  the  wheel  when  the  leather  is  in  and  in 
motion.  Again,  the  stem  of  the  valve,  if  not  kept  well  packed, 
will,  through  the  constant  vibration  of  the  wheel,  cause  it  to  open, 
and,  unless  the  operator  be  on  the  spot  at  the  moment,  the  batch 
of  leather  would  not  be  worth  taking  from  the  wheel.  By  placing 
the  stop-cock  near  the  axle  and  below  the  valve,  it  will  act  as  a 
double  guard  while  the  wheel  is  in  motion.  The  steam  jacket- 
kettles  should  be  set  up  within  a  few  feet  of  the  stuffing  wheel,  with 
steam  connections  and  drip  pipes,  and  should  be  capable  of  holding 
some  five  hundred  pounds  of  grease  each.  Where  direct  steam  is 
employed  for  heating  the  wheel,  it  will  be  advisable  to  construct  a 
ventilator  to  and  through  the  roof,  having  directly  over  the  wheel 
a  hopper-shaped  mouth,  with  trap  attached  to  open  and  close  at 
will. 

NATURE   OP  GREASES. 

For  this  work  we  will  use  seventy-five  per  cent  of  brown  grease 
and  twenty-five  per  cent  of  English  degras,  nearly  op- 
posite in  nature  to  that  which  was  recommended  to  be 
used  in  stuffing  oil  shoe  grains.  For  the  style  of  finish  intended, 
greases  of  a  more  filling  nature  will  be  required  than  for  oil  grains. 
Sod  oil  is  frequently  used  as  a  binder,  in  the  proportion  of  five  per 
cent,  but  when  such  heavy  greases  as  the  above  are  used,  this  latter 
may  be  dispensed  with  ;  besides,  it  contains  from  five  to  ten  per 
cent  of  water  and  if  united  with  the  other  greases  in  the  steam 
kettle,  will  foam  and  cause  trouble.  If  employed,  it  should  be 
heated  in  a  separate  kettle,  or  poured  into  the  wheel  cold,  and 
there  united  with  the  brown  grease  and  degras  ;  the  comparatively 
small  amount  of  sod  oil  used  will  not  seriously  conflict  with  the 
required  temperature.  Fill  the  kettles  with  greases  of  the  above 
proportions  and  turn  on  the  steam,  and  when  melted  and  at  a  tem- 
perature of  140  degrees  F.,  shut  off  the  steam.  A  higher  temper- 
ature can  be  used — such  as  150  degrees — but  where  the  leather  is 
in  good  condition,  it  is  better  to  be  on  the  safe  side.  Before  using, 
stir  it  well  in  the  kettles  and  then  insert  the  thermometer.  Let  it 
remain  for  a  few  seconds,  and  if  too  hot,  tone  it  down  by  adding 


GLOVE  GRAIN  OR  IMITATION  CALF.  119 

more  grease  in  same  proportions.  The  wheel  should  also  indicate 
about  the  same  temperature  as  the  grease.  This  is  done  by  admit- 
ting direct  steam  through  the  axle  of  the  wheel  and  continuing  it 
for  about  fifteen  minutes,  or  until  the  wood-work  is  thoroughly 
heated,  then  open  the  door  and  turn  over  the  wheel  until  the  open- 
ing is  at  top  center,  so  that  the  excess  of  steam  may  escape  ;  then 
test  the  temperature  by  inserting  the  thermometer  upon  a  long 
stick  with  hook  attachment  and  hold  it  near  the  top  center  of  the 
wheel  long  enough  to  secure  the  desired  test.  A  quicker  way,  and 
what  may  be  considered  a  good  guide  for  the  operator,  is  to  insert 
his  arm  into  the  wheel  and  apply  the  hand  to  the  pins,  and  when 
this  can  be  done  without  burning,  it  is  safe  to  put  in  the  leather 
and  grease.  The  old  saying,  "Practice  makes  perfect,"  is  a  true 
one,  and  an  expert  stuffer  will  seldom  resort  to  the  thermometer 
for  securing  the  temperature  of  either  the  wheel  or  greases. 

STUFFING. 

Pull  the  plug  out  at  the  bottom  of  wheel  and  run  off  the  con- 
densed steam  into  pans,  and  when  cool,  skim  off  any  accumulations 
of  grease  for  future  use.  Take  a  draft  of  leather  previously 
weighed  up  and  sammied,  and  place  within  the  wheel  and  on  each 
side  of  the  door,  leaving  an  open  space  in  which  to  run  in  the 
grease.  We  now  have  within  the  wheel,  for  instance,  two  hundred 
pounds  of  dry  leather,  or  what  is  equivalent  to  three  hundred  pounds 
of  sammied  leather.  For  ever>'  one  hundred  pounds  of  dry  leather 
put  within  the  wheel  seventy  to  seventy-five  pounds  of  grease, 
according  to  the  tannage  ;  therefore  we  now  have  practically  within 
the  wheel  two  hundred  pounds  of  dry  leather,  and  one  hundred 
and  forty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  of  grease.  The  leather 
and  grease  must  be  put  in  expeditiously,  for  as  soon  as  the  required 
temperature  of  grease  and  wheel  is  ascertained,  the  wheel  should 
be  set  in  motion  as  soon  as  possible,  else  it  will  be  found  difiicult 
to  maintain  the  required  temperature  to  force  the  water  from  the 
pores  and  cells  of  the  leather,  to  be  replaced  by  the  grease.  Run 
the  wheel  for  twenty-five  minutes,  then  throw  off  the  belt,  open  the 
door  and  again  set  the  wheel  in  motion  and  run  it  for  five  or  ten 
minutes  to  cool  off  the  sides.  If,  at  this  stage,  the  leather  has  fully 
absorbed  the  grease,  the  wheel  comparatively  clean,  and  the  leather 
having  withal  a  rich,  greasy  feeling,  it  is  pretty  conclusive  evidence 
that  the  condition  of  the  leather,  tem;:erature  of  grease  and  wheel 
were  up  to  the  required  standard.     As  the  sides  are  taken  from  the 


120  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

wheel,  throw  them  over  poles  for  a  few  moments  to  become  fairly- 
cool  before  taking  them  to  the  setters.  The  leather  is  then  packed 
into  boxes  and  covered  with  bagging,  and  taken  from  thence  for 
setting  as  wanted. 

s:e;tting. 
As  previously  mentioned,  this  is  one  of  the  most  important 
branches  of  the  work,  and  when  properly  done,  the  character  of  the 
side  is  well  established.  But  in  place  of  setting  out  on  both  flesh 
and  grain,  as  done  on  the  oil  shoe  grains,  we  will  set  this  stock 
upon  the  grain  side  only,  and  for  the  following  reason  :  This  style 
of  finish  will  not  require  boarding  on  grain  and  flesh,  as  for  oil  grain 
finish,  which  has  a  tendency  to  break  the  rigid  feeling  produced  by 
setting  firmly  on  flesh  and  grain.  Imitation  calf,  or  glove  grain,  is 
simply  soft-boarded  on  the  flesh  side,  and  only  one  way,  conse- 
quently it  will  be  detrimental  towards  producing  the  satin  feeling 
and  elasticity  demanded,  should  the  leather  be  settled  together  too 
firmly,  particularly  when  the  setting  is  done  by  machine.  To  avoid 
this,  we  will  first  place  the  side  on  the  setting  table,  grain  upwards, 
and  then  give  it  a  good  stoning,  commencing  near  the  butt,  work- 
ing out  the  "baggy"  portion,  then  passing  towards  the  hind 
shank,  and  spread  them  out  naturally  without  pleating  ;  the  setter 
should  then  turn  towards  the  shoulder  and  fore-shank  and  repeat 
the  operation,  always  keeping  in  mind  the  alignment  of  the  back 
strip.  However  even  the  hides  may  have  been  split  through  the 
back  strip  in  the  beam-house,  it  will  be  noticeable  at  this  stage  that 
the  backs  are  greatly  out  of  line,  and  as  a  guide  for  the  setter,  he 
should  place  the  butt  and  head  portions  on  a  line  to  conform 
to  the  edge  of  the  table,  and,  having  secured  the  set,  commence 
with  a  semi-circular  motion  and  work  the  stretch  towards  the  une- 
ven portion  until  an  alignment  of  the  back  is  secured,  and  the  entire 
side  perfectly  smooth  on  the  table  ;  flank  at  full  spread,  when  the 
setter  takes  a  steel  slicker  of  fairly  smooth  edge  and  repeats  the  oper- 
ation, removing  all  marks  of  the  stone.  When  taking  the  side  from 
the  table,  care  should  be  exercised  that  the  set  is  not  destroyed. 
For  drying,  the  writer  would  advise  the  suspension  of  the  sides  to 
the  racks  lengthwise  ;  first  firmly  secure  tenter  hooks  at  intervals 
on  racks  whereon  the  butt  portion  will  hang,  and  opposite  that, 
ropes  or  strong  cord.  After  the  sides  are  set,  and  while  on  the 
table,  cut  an  incision  near  head  and  tail  ;  then  take  the  side  from 
the  table  carefully  and  first  connect  the  incision  on  butt  with  tenter 


GLOVE  GRAIN  OR  IMITATION  CALF.  121 

hook,  and  then  put  the  cord  through  the  incision  on  head,  and  draw 
the  cord  naturally — not  too  taut — and  tie  in  single  bow-knot.  This 
method  will  be  found  a  decided  improvement  over  that  of  hanging 
on  sticks,  crosswise ;  for  by  the  latter  method,  the  bend,  when  dry, 
will  present  a  warped  or  contracted  appearance  on  the  grain 
which  is  very  difl&cult  to  remove  in  the  buffing. 

DRYING. 

Too  little  attention  has  been  given  to  the  drying  of  stuffed 
leather.  The  temperature  of  the  drying  lofts  should  not  exceed 
seventy  degrees  F. ,  nor  should  there  be  too  much  light  or  air 
admitted.  It  is  better  that  the  leather  should  hang  up  for  four  or 
five  days  than  be  dried  through  a  forced  drying  by  steam  and 
air  in  ten  to  twenty-four  hours,  as  is  frequently  done.  Let 
the  windows  be  shaded  with  blinds  or  curtains  and  just  suffi- 
cient air  admitted,  in  an  indirect  way,  as  was  more  particularly 
dwelt  upon  in  a  previous  chapter  on  ' '  The  Construction  of  Tan- 
neries." When  dry,  pack  down  in  piles,  the  sides  at  full  spread, 
and  when  convenient  let  them  remain  in  pile,  well  covered,  during 
one  or  two  weeks  to  ripen  up,  when  the  leather  will  bufif  and  finish 
with  more  pleasing  results. 

SLICKING  AND  BUFFING. 
If  catering  to  fancy,  the  slicking  may  be  dispensed  with,  and  in 
its  place  the  flesh  side  may  be  whitened  by  slicker.  But  the  latter 
method  of  rough  whitening  costs  nearly  two  cents  per  side  more 
than  slicking,  and  in  the  writer's  judgment,  the  quality  of  the  stock 
is  deteriorated  rather  than  improved.  In  the  first  place  it  is  a  waste 
of  time  and  material ;  and  when  the  gelatinous  tissue  is  opened 
out,  after  having  been  stufied  and  set  out  on  the  flesh  or  back  of 
the  sides,  the  former  greasy,  satin  feeling  and  healthy  appearance 
are  destroyed,  and  in  place  the  flesh  is  harsh,  the  complexion  less 
attractive  and  withal  of  a  sickly  hue.  Therefore,  we  will  treat  on 
the  simple  method  of  slicking  which  is  less  expensive,  and  one 
that  will  give  facts  rather  than  fancies.  This  is  done  by  placing  the 
sides,  flesh  uppermost,  on  a  hard  table  and  using  a  common  steel 
slicker  tool,  fairly  sharp,  so  as  to  remove  any  foreign  substances  in 
order  that,  when  placed  upon  the  buffer's  table,  grain  uppermost, 
any  collections,  from  whatsoever  source,  will  not  cause  blotches  on 
grain  during  the  buffing  process.  The  buffing  table  should  be 
firmly  constructed,  of  a  smooth  plank  top  surface,  or  may  be  made 
of  slate  or  marble  and  some  six  inches  higher  on  the  front  edge  than 


133  '  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

a  finishing  table,  and  having  a  pitch  of  some  six  inches  towards 
the  back  edge.  On  the  top  of  the  table  put  a  bolster,  a  large  side 
of  tanned  leather,  or  a  whole  kip  of  good  substance,  and  leveled  by 
the  splitting  machine  to  a  uniform  thickness  on  the  body  portion. 
First  put  upon  the  table  surface  a  coating  of  flour  paste  ;  then  take 
the  thin  flanky  portions  of  the  bolster  and  connect  it  to  the  under- 
neath front  edge  of  table,  and  then,  with  a  stone  tool  and  slicker, 
set  the  bolster  firmly  and  smoothly  to  the  table.  There  let  it  dry, 
and  a  good  foundation  will  be  secured  on  which  to  buff  the  leather. 
For  this  style  of  finish  it  will  be  necessary  to  buff  a  trifle  deeper 
than  for  oil  shoe  grains.  As  far  as  practicable,  all  imperfections, 
such  as  barb-wire  scratches,  should  be  removed  in  the  buffing,  but 
care  must  be  taken  not  to  go  too  deep — merely  separating  the 
cuticle'from  the  corium  ;  otherwise  the  finish  produced  would  be 
similar  to  that  on  the  flesh  side,  as  in  wax  upper,  kips  and  calf- 
skins. The  first  cut  is  termed  ' '  roughing, ' '  and  when  a  sufficient 
number  have  been  thus  treated,  a  finer  edge  is  then  produced  on 
the  buffing  slicker,  and  a  "snuffing"  cut  is  given  to  the  grain  by 
a  sweeping  motion  from  back  to  flanks,  removing  any  remaining 
marks  or  imperfections  when  a  slight  nap  is  raised,  imparting  to 
the  grain  a  fine  satin  feeling.  When  the  flanks  are  thin,  and  prac- 
tically free  from  scratches,  go  over  them  lightly,  barely  splitting 
the  cuticle.  The  cost  of  this  work  is  fully  two  cents  per  side  over 
that  of  oil  shoe  grain  of  similar  measure.  No  dampening  of  the 
sides  upon  the  grain  is  required  wherein  heavy  grease,  and  plenty 
of  it,  is  employed  in  the  stuffing. 

BIvACKING. 

A  durable  and  clean  blacking  is  made  as  follows  :  Take  nine 
pounds  of  copperas,  one-fourth  pound  of  epsom  salts,  six  ounces  of 
ascetic  acid  and  one  ounce  of  nut-galls.  Mix  and  add  two  gallons 
of  soft  water;  then  insert  steam  pipe  and  thoroughly  dissolve 
the  ingredients.  Turn  the  mixture  into  a  barrel  prepared  for  the 
purpose ;  then  add  forty  gallons  of  water,  condensed  steam  pre- 
ferred, and  you  have  a  black  fully  equal,  if  not  superior,  to  that 
made  from  cider  vinegar,  and  at  a  cost  of  one  cent  per  gallon.  As 
soon  as  made,  it  is  ready  for  use.  Should  the  leather  be  slack' 
tanned,  or  of  a  loose,  ragged  feeling,  put  within  the  barrel  four  to 
five  gallons  of  strong  gambier  liquor,  in  lieu  of  the  same  amount  of 
water ;  this  will  tighten  up  the  grain  and  prevent  it  from  ' '  piping, ' ' 
when  finished. 


GLOVB  GRAIN  OR  IMITATION  CALF.  123 


Near  the  blacking  table  is  supposed  to  be  the  sig  barrel,  capable 
of  containing  from  forty  to  fifty  gallons  of  logwood  liquor.  Directly 
over  the  barrel  is  a  pulley  connected  with  the  floor  timbers.  Take 
a  coarse  gunny  bag,  capable  of  containing  one-half  bushel  of 
chipped  logwood,  and  when  filled,  tie  a  cord  around  the  neck  and 
connect  it  with  the  pulley,  so  that  the  contents  may  be  raised  from 
out  the  barrel  at  a  sufficient  height  to  drain  and  permit  the  blacker 
to  have  free  access  to  the  sig  after  it  has  been  thoroughly  steamed 
up  by  the  forcing  of  direct  steam  into  the  barrel,  the  condensing  of 
which  will  supply  ample  water  to  the  logwood  and  of  the  purest 
quality.  When  putting  the  logwood  into  the  bag,  put  in  also  sal- 
soda  of  the  size  of  a  hen's  egg,  or  of  sufiicient  quantity  to  draw  the 
strength  from  the  wood.  Much  depends  on  the  condition  of  the 
leather  as  to  the  amount  of  sal-soda  used.  If  very  greasy,  a  larger 
amount  will  be  required,  but  care  should  be  taken  that  the  blacker 
should  not  use  it  too  freely,  as  it  is  not  only  injurious  to  the  leather, 
but  when  finished  a  white  scum  will  appear  on  the  grain,  which  is 
quite  difficult  to  remove.  This  result  is  quite  frequently  laid  to  the 
oils  used  in  stuffing,  but  may  be  directly  traced  to  the  too  free  use 
of  salt  and  alkalies.  Fresh  logwood  should  be  replaced  daily, 
where  large  numbers  of  sides  are  being  blacked.  Lower  the  bag 
with  the  contents  at  interv^als,  to  further  extract  the  strength  from 
the  wood,  and  maintain  at  all  times  an  even  temperature — near 
boiling  heat.  There  is  no  danger  of  burning  the  leather,  as  the  sig 
is  put  on  in  small  amounts  and  well  rubbed  in  with  a  stiff  brush. 
To  produce  a  clean  and  durable  black,  the  sig,  or  logwood,  must  be 
well  rubbed  in.  Its  color  on  first  application  will  be  purple,  but 
when  the  grain  is  fully  saturated,  it  changes  to  that  of  brown. 
Care  should  be  taken,  however,  not  to  put  on  too  much  sig,  only 
sufficient  to  cut  the  surface  grease  to  enable  it  to  readily  absorb  the 
black.  This  latter  is  applied  cold,  and  by  the  use  of  a  softer 
brush,  made  from  horse-hair.  It  requires  no  great  exertion  to 
apply  the  blacking,  if  the  side  is  properly  prepared  with  the 
logwood  sig,  as  the  grain  then  takes  the  color  instantaneously. 
The  sides  thus  blacked  are  then  hung  up  on  sticks  for  a  few 
moments,  to  temper  before  being  glassed,  and  when  taken  down, 
pile  them  at  full  spread  on  the  table  or  floor,  black  to  black,  and 
cover  them  over,  but  it  is  advisable  that  the  glassing  be  done  at 
about  the  same  time,  as  the  fibers  can  be  settled  together  better  in 
the  then  damp  condition  than  when  exposed  too  long  to  the  heat 
or  air. 


124  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

GLASSING  AND   OILING. 

Glassing  out  of  the  black  is  one  of  the  most  important  manipu- 
lations in  the  finishing.  The  table  should  be  firm  and  of  smooth 
surface ;  if  not,  recourse  may  be  had  to  a  leather  bolster  attached 
to  the  face  of  the  table.  First  go  over  the  side  with  vigorous 
strokes  with  a  smooth  glass  tool  and  settle  the  fibers  and  tanned 
gelatine  well  together ;  then  go  over  again  with  lighter  strokes 
giving  particular  attention  to  the  flanks  and  head,  removing  all 
marks  of  the  tool ;  and  should  there  be  noticeable  spots  where  the 
blacking  failed  to  penetrate,  touch  them  over  with  the  sig  and 
blacking  before  proceeding  further.  As  glassed,  hang  up  the  sides 
until  they  are  thoroughly  dry  ;  then  trim  off  all  ragged  portions. 
It  has  been  the  usual  custom,  for  leather  finished  on  the  grain  side, 
to  oil  it  after  all  other  work  had  been  performed,  but  for  this  style 
of  finish  the  oiling  should  be  done  before  pasting  the  sides.  When 
oiling,  pile  on  the  table,  as  far  as  practicable,  grain  up,  and 
heads  to  butts,  so  that  after  being  oiled  the  sides  may  be  matched 
and  piled  down,  black  to  black,  which  will  prevent  the  flesh  side 
from  being  smeared.  The  proportions  of  oil  are  seventy-five  per 
cent  of  best  cod  to  twenty-five  per  cent  of  paraffine,  the  latter  of 
twenty-five  gravity.  Mix  and  apply  it  warm,  giving  to  the  firm 
butt  and  shoulder  portions  a  good  dressing,  and  let  the  leather  lay 
in  pile  until  the  oil  is  absorbed. 

PASTING   AND   SOFT   BOARDING. 

It  will  be  necessary  at  this  stage  to  make  a  kettle  of  paste, 
which  will  not  materially  differ  from  that  used  for  wax  upper,  calf, 
kip  and  flesh  splits,  though  not  of  such  body  as  to  crack  or  peel 
off",  as  the  fine  grain  surface  will  not  receive  it  as  readily  as  on  the 
flesh. 

GRAIN    DRESSING. 

To  obviate  the  greyish  appearance  on  the  grain,  through 
the  use  of  flour,  it  will  be  necessary  to  put  into  the  kettle  before 
cooking,  one  quart  of  the  dressing  as  used  for  the  oil  grain,  in  con- 
nection with  beef  blood,  and  made  as  follows  :  Take  eight  ounces 
of  extract  of  logwood,  one  ounce  of  bichromate  of  potash,  two 
ounces  of  prussiate  of  potash,  and  eight  quarts  of  soft  water — con- 
densed steam  preferred.  Apply  live  steam  to  the  mixture  until  fully 
dissolved  and  then  let  it  cool  and  settle. 

FLOUR   PASTE. 
Take  one  pound  of  sifted  flour,  one-half  pound  of  laundry  soap, 
one  pound  of  cake  tallow,  or  brown  grease,  one  quart  of  the  above 


GLOVE  GRAIN  OR  IMITATION  CALF.  125 


grain  dressing,  and  two  gallons  of  soft  water.  First  moisten  the 
flour,  or  just  sufl&cient  to  make  a  thick  batter,  and  knead  it  until 
all  lumps  are  broken ;  then  reduce  to  the  consistency  of  milk  by 
adding  the  balance  of  the  water.  Cut  the  soap  into  thin  slices,  as 
also  the  tallow,  and  put  into  the  flour  solution.  For  cooking  the 
paste,  a  small  steam  jacket  kettle  is  the  best,  there  being  no  fear  of 
burning,  or  of  an  excess  of  water,  as  when  using  direct  steam.  If 
the  latter  is  employed,  make  an  allowance  of  from  one  pint  to  one 
quart  less  water  in  the  kettle,  according  to  the  distance  of  the 
steam  pipe  from  the  boiler.  Cook  slowly  for  thirty  minutes,  when 
the  flour,  soap  and  tallow  will  have  become  thoroughly  united  and 
the  paste  the  consistency  of  a  thick  jelly.  Turn  into  shallow  pans 
to  cool. 

PASTING. 

When  pasting,  put  only  one  side  at  a  time  upon  the  table,  and 
rub  the  paste  well  into  the  grain,  and  that  no  excess  be  left  on  the 
surface,  the  sponge  ought  to  be  soft  and  practically  clean.  Hang 
up  to  dry  and  wipe  off  the  table  before  continuing  the  operation. 
It  will  require  but  a  few  moments  to  harden  the  paste  and  temper 
the  leather,  so  that  it  may  be  in  condition  for  the  glassing.  Care 
should  also  be  exercised  in  keeping  the  backs  or  flesh  side  clean. 
There  is  nothing  that  attracts  the  eye  of  the  buyer  quicker  than  a 
spotless  back,  and  when  using  a  black  paste,  as  recommended,  the 
backs  would  become  smeared  unless  the  paster  be  careful  in  taking 
off"  the  sides,  as  pasted,  and  immediately  after  wiping  off  the  table. 
Pack  the  leather,  as  dried,  upon  a  portable  wooden  horse,  or  truck, 
and  take  it  to  the  graining  table. 

SOFT  BOARDING. 

The  leather  is  then  soft-boarded  on  the  flesh  side,  commencing 
at  the  hind  shank  and  working  with  cork-board  diagonally  to  the 
head.  Should  the  leather  be  fairly  firm  or  "snappy"  at  this 
stage,  board  again  straight  up  and  down  from  head  to  butt.  These 
operations  give  the  required  satin  feeling  to  both  the  flesh  and  grain, 
breaking  the  crust  and  producing  a  uniform  shade  to  the  flesh— 
and  more  striking  wherein  gambier  and  sumac  are  used  in  the  re- 
tanning. 

GLASSING. 

The  table  for  this  work  should  have  a  perfectly  level  surface, 
or  a  leather  bolster  placed  thereon.  Hand  labor  is  preferable  to 
machine,  in  glassing  out  of  the  black  and  paste,  as  the  flanky  por- 
tions are  not  broken  as  by  a  machine  wherein  high  speed  and 


136  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

greater  pressure  is  applied.  The  glasser  need  not  apply  the  same 
vigorous  strokes  as  when  glassing  out  the  black,  as  the  fibers  were 
or  should  have  been,  well  settled  together  during  the  first  operation. 
He  should  be  careful  not  to  pleat  the  grain,  and  to  apply  only  the 
required  strength  to  break  the  crust  of  the  paste,  in  order  to  pro- 
duce a  smooth  satin  feeling  to  the  grain  surface  without  breaking 
through  the  paste.  The  flanks  require  special  attention,  and  when 
the  leather  is  of  the  desired  temper  for  cementing  the  fibers  and 
tanned  gelatine  together,  the  glassing  will  materially  improve  the 
quality  and  appearance,  and  secure  a  good  foundation  on  which  to 
put  the  final  finish-gum. 

GUMMING. 

If  a  particularly  bright  finish  is  desired,  it  may  be  procured  by 
using  a  larger  proportion  of  gum  tragacanth.  The  most  popular, 
and  that  which  will  not  show  the  defects  or  imperfections  of  the 
grain,  caused  by  barb  wire  scratches,  is  a  lusterless  finish,  which 
will  also  greatly  improve  the  feeling  of  the  grain  surface.  Gum 
alone  has  a  hardening  tendency,  but  when  mixed  with  paste,  it  is 
relieved,  in  a  measure,  of  its  harsh  properties,  and  can  be  applied 
to  the  leather  more  evenly  and  scientifically.  Therefore  I  would 
advise  the  compounding  as  follows  :  Take  sixty  per  cent  of  dis- 
solved gum,  and  forty  per  cent  of  paste,  the  same  as  made  for 
pasting,  and  mix  them  together.  Strain  through  coarse  toweling 
and  reduce  to  the  consistency  of  cream  ;  to  every  gallon  so  strained, 
add  one  gill  of  the  black  dressing  ;  this  black,  together  with  what 
was  put  into  the  paste  before  cooking,  will  give  to  the  grain  a 
beautiful  rich  black,  and  aid  in  cutting  the  surface  grease  on  the 
leather,  while  in  the  act  of  gumming,  thereby  securing  an  inde- 
structible finish.  The  gum  should  be  applied  with  a  soft  lamb's- 
wool  sponge  and  rubbed  well  into  the  pores,  care  being  taken  not 
to  cover  more  surface  of  the  side  at  a  time  than  what  the  first  dip- 
ping of  the  sponge  can  complete.  The  movements  of  the  arm  must 
be  rapid  and  no  attempt  should  be  made  to  go  over  the  side  again 
after  the  dressing  begins  to  harden  ;  if  so,  the  grain  will  present  a 
streaked  appearance  when  dry.  The  final  strokes  should  be  given 
straight  across  from  back  to  flanks,  and  vice  versa,  and  then  finish 
up  on  the  entire  length  of  the  back  strip,  and  from  three  to  four 
inches  in  width.  When  preparing  the  leather  for  gumming,  match 
the  sides  as  far  as  possible  and  pile  in  batches  on  the  gumming 
table,  heads  to  butts.     The  same  precaution  should  be  taken  in 


GLOVE  GRAIN  OR  IMITATION  CALF.  137 


keeping  the  backs  clean  in  gumming  as  in  pasting,  and  allow  the 
leather  to  hang  up  on  the  sticks  until  thoroughly  dry.  When 
matched  in  the  gumming  process,  the  sides  may  be  taken  from  the 
sticks  when  dry,  two  at  a  time,  butts  to  butts  and  black  to  black, 
which  will  save  unnecessary  handling  in  the  endeavor  to 
match  them  when  measuring,  or  putting  them  into  packages  for 
shipment.  To  secure  a  desirable  finish,  leather  should  be  gummed 
on  a  clear  day  or  in  a  warm  room. 

MEASURING   AND   CLASSIFYING. 

By  the  aid  of  the  measuring  machine,  now  in  very  general  use, 
greater  accuracy  is  obtained  than  by  the  use  of  the  old-time  frame. 
The  number  of  square  feet  and  fractions  should  be  plainly  and 
indelibly  marked  upon  the  butt,  near  the  tail.  Having  selected 
out  the  largest  and  most  spready  sides,  when  splitting  the  leather 
to  put  into  oil  grain,  we  will  now  have  a  fairly  uniform  pattern  in 
the  imitation  calf,  ranging  from  sixteen  to  nineteen  feet,  and  vary- 
ing in  substance  from  three  to  five  ounces  per  square  foot,  and  if 
desired  for  boot  backs,  it  is  made  of  six  ounces  or  more. 

When  assorting  for  quality  and  classifications,  place  upon  the 
assorting  table  one  or  more  hundred  sides,  grain  up,  and 
examine  each  side  closely  for  imperfections  and  pile  them  upon  a 
table  in  the  rear  in  book  form,  flesh  outwards,  assigning  each  side 
to  its  respective  place.  The  following  classifications  are  then  made 
in  substance  and  quality  :  A  H  denotes  No.  i  and  heavy  ;  A  H 
M  denotes  No.  i  heavy  medium  ;  A  M,  No.  i  medium ;  A  P  L  M, 
No.  I  plump  light  medium ;  A  I^  M,  No.  i  light  medium,  and  A 
I,,  No.  I  light,  each  of  which  grades  are  placed  in  separate  piles. 
When  they  are  of  the  second  selection,  "B"  is  prefixed  to  the 
various  substances  and  put  in  separate  piles.  When  of  the  third 
selection,  No.  2  or  X  is  substituted ;  but  few,  however,  of  this 
latter  class  will  be  found  when  the  proper  attention  is  given  to  the 
selecting  when  splitting.  The  average  of  No.  i,  or  "  A  "  leather 
secured,  will  be  about  seventy  per  cent,  should  the  leather  receive 
the  required  attention  in  the  tannery  and  finishing  departments. 
The  several  grades  are  then  put  up  in  bundles  containing  one-half 
dozen  each,  with  backs  to  the  front  of  table,  and  as  far  as  possible, 
black  to  black,  the  bottom  and  top  sides  being  flesh  outwards,  and 
are  then  folded  in  book  form,  and  the  quality  and  classification 
marked  upon  each  package.  When  ready  for  shipping,  put  two 
bundles  together,  backs  to  flanks,  thereby  making  an  even  pack- 


128  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

age.  As  previously  stated,  leather,  like  fruit  when  first  finished  or 
picked,  should  be  placed  in  cases  for  ripening  up  before  putting 
them  on  the  market,  when  convenient  to  do  so,  and  every  tanner 
would  concur  with  me  that  his  stock  improves  at  least  ten  per  cent 
in  feeling  and  appearance  in  one  or  two  weeks  time,  thus  excluded 
from  the  air  and  the  frequent  changes  of  the  atmosphere.  There- 
fore, I  consider  it  a  good  investment  for  tanners  to  provide  them- 
selves with  practically  air-tight  cases  in  which  to  put  their  finished 
leather  when  awaiting  sales,  and  when  shipments  are  made  to 
enclose  the  packages  in  strong  wrapping  paper,  protecting  it  from 
dust  and  dirt  while  in  transit.  The  American  tanners  might 
pattern  after  the  French  of  taste  and  neatness  in  putting  up 
their  finished  product.  We  have  to  cater  to  fancy  nowadays,  and 
just  so  long  as  fanc}^  is  willing  to  pay  the  bill,  it  should  be  grati- 
fied. First  excel  in  the  quality  of  your  products,  and  maintain 
the  standard  at  all  hazards ;  cultivate  a  taste  for  displaying  and 
putting  up  your  specialties  and  reward  will  be  sure  to  follow. 

A  competent  assorter  of  finished  leather  can  save  his  salary  sev- 
eral times  over  by  good  judgment  in  the  use  of  the  trimming  knife. 
By  trimming  out  some  unsightly  portion,  a  hole  near  the  edges, 
or  in  straightening  the  backs  to  give  character  to  the  sides,  many 
would  go  into  the  "  A  "  selection  which  would  otherwise  be  con- 
signed to  the  "  B's,"  or  second  selection  and  sold  at  from  one  to 
two  cents  less  per  foot. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

SULPHIDE   OF  SODIUM   PROCESS. 

The  writer  promised,  before  completing  the  series,  to  introduce 
a  comparatively  new  agent,  in  this  countr>%  for  depilating  and 
bating  the  hides,  as  a  substitute  for  lime  and  chicken  manure. 
This  agent  is  none  other  than  sulphide  of  sodium.  It  has  been 
employed  more  extensively  in  England  and  on  the  continent,  while 
but  few  tanners  in  the  states  have  adoped  it,  and  then  have  applied 
it  more  particularly  upon  sheep,  goatskins  and  horsehides.  In  the 
previous  work  on  liming  and  bating  hides  for  fine  shoe  purposes, 
I  have  in  a  measure  endeavored  to  modify  the  caustic  effects 
of  lime,  as  also  to  correct  the  evil  of  too  low  bating  by  the 
use  of  chicken  manure  for  the  purpose  of  neutralizing  the  lime 
before  the  hides  are  immersed  in  the  tannic-acid.      Although  lime 


SULPHIDE  OF  SODIUM  PROCESS.  129 


and  chicken  manure  have  been  the  chief  ingredients  employed  for 
centuries  in  depilating  and  depleting  the  hides,  for  the  want  ot  a 
better  substitute  less  harmless  in  its  nature,  there  is  no  reason  why 
tanners,  during  the  closing  years  of  the  present  century,  should  not 
have  more  generally  adopted  this  method,  or  at  least  have  given  it 
a  fair  trial,  and  have  become  somewhat  familiar  with  its  use  by 
repeated  experiments. 

The  writer  had  been  prospecting  for  many  years  to  find  a  sub- 
stitute for  lime  and  chicken  manure,  having  become  convinced 
those  agents  were  twin  relics  of  barbarism  in  the  tannery,  and  not 
until  about  1873  did  he  receive  a  ray  of  light,  and  then  through 
thereceiptof  a  circular  on  the  use  of  crystallized  sulphide  of  sodium, 
as  manufactured  by  Dr.  E.  DeHaen,  at  his  chemical  works,  near 
Hanover,  Germany.  Determined  to  give  it  a  fair  trial,  I  sent  to 
the  agents,  Toel,  Rose  &  Co.,  17  South  Williams  street,  New  York, 
for  a  sample  package,  containing  one  hundred  pounds.  I  trust  the 
reader  will  have  due  patience  in  following  me  in  the  numerous 
experiments  and  overlook  the  frequent  use  of  the  personal  pronoun, 
in  giving  the  details  of  the  work,  as  the  experiments  and  results 
were  obtained  by  the  writer  personally,  not  wishing  at  that  time 
to  let  others  into  the  secret,  should  it  prove  to  be  all  he  had  antic- 
ipated. In  the  first  place,  the  sodium  is  in  a  crj'stallized  form,  and 
put  into  barrels  containing  from  five  to  six  hundred  pounds.  It 
should  be  kept  from  the  air  and  in  a  dry  place,  and  well  covered 
up,  as  otherwise  it  easily  attracts  water,  dissolves  and  gets 
weaker  in  properties.  Its  action  upon  hides  and  skins  is  similar 
to  that  produced  by  lime,  soda-ash  and  brimstone,  and  being  in 
crystallized  form,  it  is  very  handy  for  immediate  use. 

At  the  time  the  experiments  were  made,  I  was  tanning  for  rough 
leather,  employing  green-cured  hides  of  about  fifty  pounds  average. 
The  first  trial  was  made  by  mixing  the  sodium  with  that  of  slacked 
lime,  and  using  it  as  a  paste  by  applying  it  with  a  broom  to  the 
hair  surface,  rubbing  it  well  into  the  hair,  and  then  folding  the 
hides  in  book  form  and  piling  them  into  a  snug  pile  and  covering 
them  with  a  cloth  or  wet  hides  to  exclude  the  air.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  twenty  hours  they  were  taken  from  the  pack  for  unhairing. 
The  hides  were  prepared  in  the  usual  way— soaked  and  fleshed— 
then  thrown  into  a  pit  of  clean  cold  water.  For  hides  of  the  above 
description,  I  used  five  ounces  of  sodium  per  hide,  or  two  and  one- 


130  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

half  ounces  per  side,  whicli  is  the  maximum  amount  recommended 
by  the  manufacturer.  Some  objections  were  found  to  this  method, 
although  the  hair  slipped  off  easily  on  the  body  portion ;  but  the 
edges,  pates  and  shanks  that  did  not  receive  a  thorough  impreg- 
nation of  the  mixture,  showed  a  resistance  in  yielding  to  the 
beamer's  knife.  This  process  would  more  properly  apply  to  sole 
leather  hides,  where  extra  weight  and  firmness  were  the  objects  to 
obtain,  but  for  rough,  harness,  upper  or  calfskins,  where  a  certain 
amount  of  the  gelatine  must  be  destroyed  and  the  fatty  matters 
neutralized  to  secure  supple  and  elastic  leather,  it  failed  to  produce 
the  desired  eflect. 

I  next  took  a  green-cured  steer  hide  from  the  soak,  it  having 
been  previously  fleshed,  and  which  before  soaking  weighed  sixty 
pounds.  This  was  to  be  an  extreme  test  to  convince  me  whether 
the  hide  could  be  injured  by  the  excessive  use  of  sulphide  of 
sodium,  and  the  amount  of  sodium  was  trebled  and  put  into  a  tub, 
it  being  first  dissolved  in  the  proportion  of  one  pound  to  one  quart 
of  hot  water.  I  next  took  two  pails  of  moderately  strong  milk  of 
lime  from  the  lime  pits,  and  put  into  the  tub  with  the  dissolved 
sodium.  The  hide — two  sides,  were  then  put  into  the  tub  and 
continually  agitated,  and  in  ten  minutes  the  sides  were  fully 
depilated,  but  lacking  that  plump,  rigid  feeling,  as  when 
coming  from  the  limes.  The  sides  were  then  thrown  into  the 
wash-wheel  and  run  for  a  few  moments  and  then  given  to  the 
beam-hand  for  unhairing.  I  will  say  at.  this  stage  the  hair  was 
pretty  effectually  removed  in  the  wash -wheel,  and  was  of  no  com- 
mercial value ;  the  strong  alkalies  acting  upon  the  hair  so 
instantaneously  have  a  tendency  to  reduce  it  to  a  paste  or  pulp. 
But  the  grain  surface,  when  worked  upon  the  beam,  was  mellow 
and  of  a  satin  feeling.  The  sides  were  again  submitted  to  the 
wash-wheel  for  five  minutes  with  a  good  supply  of  water,  and  were 
then  fine-haired,  the  grain,  in  the  meantime,  retaining  its  mellow 
feeling  the  same  as  when  coming  from  the  bate.  After  fine-hairing, 
the  sides  were  again  thrown  into  the  wash-wheel  for  two  or  three 
minutes  and  from  thence  into  the  handling  or  coloring  wheel.  The 
coloring  of  the  grain,  at  this  stage,  was  of  a  greenish  shade,  which 
gradually  disappears  as  the  hides  progress  in  the  tanning,  and  is 
substituted  by  that  of  orange.  There  was  missing  the  usual 
rough  and  caustic  feeling  on  the  grain,  as  produced  by  the  old 


SULPHIDE  OF  SODIUM  PROCESS.  131 


process  of  liming,  and  instead  of  spending  days  of  anxiety  iu 
liming,  and  in  bating  to  neutralize  the  lime  in  preparing  the  hides 
for  the  bark  liquors,  the  chemical  properties  of  the  sulphide  of 
sodium,  in  combination  with  the  lime,  had  been  performing  the 
double  object  required  in  those  few  moments.  The  flesh  having  been 
first  removed,  the  mixture  acts  readily  on  that  side,  and  any  par- 
ticles of  grease  or  fatty  matter  adhering,  are  neutralized  while 
action  is  being  had  on  the  hair  side.  The  old  enemy,  lime,  as  when 
used  singly,  is  robbed  of  its  caustic  properties  when  combined  with 
the  sodium,  consequently  no  bating  is  required  to  neutralize  the 
lime,  and  the  hides  go  into  the  liquors  in  a  plump  and  healthy 
condition,  in  place  of  being  reduced  to  the  condition  of  a  dish-rag 
in  the  bates. 

The  sides,  after  coloring,  were  tagged,  and  with  others  of  the 
old  process,  were  suspended  in  the  pits  for  rough  leather  tannage, 
the  results  of  which  will  be  given  later  on.  Subsequent  experi- 
ments convinced  me  that  hides  depilated  by  the  above  process  will 
exhaust  the  liquors  much  more  readily,  and  should  be  fed  accord- 
ingly. After  several  such  radical  tests  and  others  of  a  more 
conservative  nature,  and  jealously  watching  the  progress  of  each, 
I  was  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  more  satisfactory  results  could 
be  obtained,  both  in  quality  and  weight  of  leather  produced,  and  I 
then  entirely  abolished  the  old  process  and  commenced  to  fill  every 
pit  with  hides  thus  prepared.  The  bate-wheels  were  transformed 
into  depilatories,  and  from  that  time  on  the  bate  nuisance  was 
abated.  The  beam-house  and  tannery,  in  place  of  being  an  abom- 
ination and  stink-pot,  was,  as  by  magic,  transformed  into  a  sweet- 
smelling  institution. 

The  hides  were  prepared,  fleshed  and  washed,  as  has  been 
recommended  in  a  previous  chapter,  and  then  thrown  into  what 
were  formerly  the  bate-wheels,  with  a  preparation  of  sulphide  of 
sodium  and  milk  of  lime,  and  the  wheel  run,  off  and  on  for  three 
days,  but  only  for  a  few  moments  at  a  time,  or  only  sufiicient  time 
to  change  the  position  of  the  hides  and  solution,  so  that  free  access 
may  be  had  to  each.  Pinning  the  hides  together  and  reeling  from 
one  pit  to  another  frequently,  will  answer  the  same  purpose. 

For  upper  leather  purposes,  the  strength  of  the  solution  should 
be  graded  to  conform  to  the  texture  of  the  hides  or  skins.  Should 
the  saving  of  the  hair  be  of  greater  consideration  than  the  extra 


132  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

percentage  in  gain  of  weight,  and  a  heavier  grain  for  buffing,  three 
daj's'  time  will  be  required  in  the  solution,  and  the  hides  should 
then  be  taken  out  and  thrown  into  a  hot  water  bath  of  i  lo  degrees 
F.,  and  there  remain  for  two  or  three  hours  before  unhairing. 
During  the  depilating  process  in  the  wheels,  a  portion  of  the  hair 
will  become  detached  from  the  hides,  and  whenever  a  pack  is  taken 
out  the  loose  hair  should  be  removed  from  the  wheel  by  a  long- 
handled  wooden  rake ;  otherwise  it  will  contaminate  all  subse- 
quent introductions  of  sodium  and  lime.  For  the  required  time, 
as  mentioned,  and  when  making  a  new  liquor,  dissolve  from  two 
to  three  ounces  of  sodium  per  side,  and  for  a  pack  of  one  hundred 
sides  use  about  thirty  pounds  of  stone  lime,  and  after  being  prop- 
erly slacked,  use  only  the  pure  milk,  retaining  the  sediment  in  the 
tub.  Those  desiring  to  make  experiments  should  try  the  long  and 
short  time  process,  and  use  judgment  as  to  the  amount  of  lime  and 
sodium  to  produce  the  required  results.  There  need  be  no  fear  of 
injuring  the  hides  by  too  free  use  of  the  sodium;  still,  I  would 
advise  going  slow  until  several  experiments  have  been  made,  keep- 
ing in  mind  that  the  experiments,  as  given,  were  through  the  use 
of  Dr.  DeHaen's  sulphide  of  sodium,  as  there  are  several  brands 
now  on  the  market  with  which  the  writer  has  not  had  experience ; 
but  in  all  cases,  whether  for  upper  or  sole  leather,  I  would  advise 
using  the  sodium  in  connection  with  lime,  and  in  the  pits,  rather 
than  painting  the  sides  on  the  hair,  which  I  consider  neither 
practical  nor  economical.  For  vsole  leather  tanning,  I  would 
suggest  that  the  solution  of  sodium  and  lime  be  made  of  sufficient 
strength  so  that  the  hair  may  be  removed  in  from  five  to  six  hours, 
and  then  manipulated  in  the  regular  lime  pits,  the  hides  keyed 
together  and  reeled  from  one  pit  to  another,  every  hour,  and  at  the 
completion  of  said  time,  reel  them  into  the  hot  bath  to  remain  for 
two  or  three  hours  before  unhairing.  If  a  harder  grade  of  acid 
leather  is  desired,  the  hides  may  go  into  the  acid  baths  after  being' 
fine-haired,  and  then  rinsed  with  cold  water  in  the  wash-wheel. 
But  when  making  non-acid  sole  leather,  that  which  will  produce 
full  flanks  and  a  heavy  grain  for  buffing,  the  sulphide  of  sodium 
used  in  combination  with  lime,  will  secure  those  desired  results, 
and  a  greater  percentage  in  weight  of  leather  can  be  secured  than 
by  the  ordinary  method  of  liming  and  bating. 

The  pack  should  be  changed  daily  during  the  first  three  weeks 


^ SUIvPHIDE  OF  SODIUM   PROCESS.  133 

of  their  immersion  and  fresh  liquors  run  in  from  the  leaches. 
Hides  prepared  by  the  sulphide  of  sodium  process  will  absorb  the 
liquors  more  readily  than  those  by  the  old  method  of  liming  and 
bating.  Consequently  care  must  be  taken  that  the  packs  do  not 
become  hungry  or  fall  away  from  want  of  nourishment.  During 
every  change  of  packs,  slightly  increase  the  density  of  the  liquors 
and  the  leather  will  grow  and  take  on  weight  like  the  school  boy 
who  periodically  has  his  pockets  filled  with  sweet  apples. 

We  will  now  see  what  progress  has  been  made  with  those  sides 
on  which  the  first  experiments  were  made.  Sixty  days  was  the 
usual  time  that  was  employed  in  tanning  for  rough  leather,  wherein 
the  hides  were  prepared  by  the  old  process,  and  about  ten  days  in 
soaking,  liming,  bating  and  the  beam-work,  and  the  average  yield 
was  about  fifty  pounds  of  rough  leather  from  one  hundred  pounds 
of  green-cured  hides,  or  fifty  per  cent  of  leather. 

This  is  considered  about  the  maximum  percentage  for  hemlock 
rough  leather,  wherein  the  hides  are  handled  frequently  in  the 
liquors  and  finally  laid  away  to  ripen  up.  But  the  method  in  ques- 
tion was,  by  suspending  on  sticks  until  fully  tanned  and  then  taken 
off  the  sticks  and  thrown  into  an  open  pit  containing  a  first  run  or 
twelve  degree  liquor,  there  to  remain  for  a  few  days  for  filling  be- 
fore being  taken  to  the  lofts  for  dr>nng.  The  two  sides  that  were 
tagged  and  carried  through  the  tannery  in  the  usual  manner  were 
readily  detected  from  those  that  were  limed  in  six  days,  and  bated 
for  twenty-four  hours,  by  their  usual  plumpness  in  flanks  and 
shoulders,  besides  having  a  much  thicker  grain.  They  were  tanned 
through  without  sign  of  hide,  but  the  pores  and  cells  were  not 
thoroughly  filled  for  rough  leather  tannage,  wherein  weight  was  a 
consideration,  but  was  more  than  sufficient  for  finishing  directly 
into  oil  grains,  glove  or  imitation  goat.  The  two  sides  were  taken 
from  the  sticks  with  the  others  and  thrown  into  a  pit  of  first  run 
liquor  from  the  leaches,  and  handled  daily  for  five  days,  when  they 
were  given  a  light  dressing  of  oil  and  then  taken  to  the  lofts  for 
dr>'ing.  When  dry  the  flanks,  shoulders,  and  the  body  portion  were 
remarkably  plump  and  fine,  and  the  color,  which  was  at  first  of  a 
greenish  shade,  had  changed  during  the  tanning  process  to  a  lemon 
tint,  and  the  sides  weighed  thirty-seven  three-quarter  pounds.  Thus 
it  will  be  seen  that  this  hide,  weighing  sixty  pounds  in  green-cured 
condition,  and  afterwards  taking  ofi"  the  flesh,  ears,  nose  and  dew- 


134  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

claws,  produced  about  thirty-eight  pounds  of  rough  leather,  or  at 
the  rate  oJ  nearly  sixty-three  per  cent  of  leather  from  one  hundred 
pounds  of  hides.  What  was  equally  encouraging,  the  leather  was 
of  excellent  quality,  of  fine  and  compact  fiber,  tough  and  fairly 
firm,  without  being  hard  and  unyielding.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered that  this  hide  was  carried  through  the  beam-house  by  the 
"lightning"  process,  that  is  in  ten  minutes  time,  which  included 
the  liming  or  depilating,  unhairing  and  fine  hairing.  At  a  little  later 
period  full  packs  of  leather  worked  with  the  sulphide  of  sodium 
process,  but  in  a  more  conservative  method  in  its  application,  re- 
quiring three  days  time,  were  taken  from  the  pits  and  dried  out, 
and  which  gave  an  average  yield  of  from  fifty-three  to  fifty-five  per 
cent  of  leather  from  one  hundred  pounds  of  hides.  The  rough  lea- 
ther produced  by  the  sulphide  of  sodium  process  found  a  ready  sale, 
and  commanded  the  highest  prices  for  finishing  into  harness,  wax 
upper  and  boot  grain. 

I  would  advise  tanners  who  are  making  a  specialty  of  imitation 
goat,  book-binding  or  pocket-book  leathers,  wherein  the  leather  is 
split  down  to  a  very  light  substance  not  to  go  too  extensively  into 
this  process,  until  after  several  experiments  have  been  made  with 
the  sodium,  and  then  by  using  it  in  a  mild  form,  for  the  following 
reasons  :  By  the  use  of  sulphide  of  sodium  a  thicker  giain  is  pro- 
duced than  by  the  use  of  lime  and  hen  manure,  and  when  split 
down  to  a  very  light  substance,  the  grain  becomes  tender. 
Again,  leather  suited  for  imitation  goat  finish  must  have  a  thin 
grain  to  produce  the  desired  character  and  prominence  in  the  print. 
Where  too  thin,  it  would  be  found  difficult  to  throw  up  a  figure  in 
the  cork- boarding  to  resemble  the  real  goatskins.  In  all  other  re- 
spects the  quality  of  the  leather  is  superior,  being  of  a  tougher 
fiber,  finer  flanks  and  of  a  supple  and  elastic  nature,  so  desirable 
for  fine  shoe  leather. 

For  boot  and  shoe  oil  grains,  glove  grain  and  imitation  calf, 
where  the  grain  is  buffed  off"  in  finishing,  I  consider  the  sulphide 
of  sodium  process  especially  adapted,  as  also  for  slaughter  sole,  oak 
and  union  crops  and  backs,  which  are  also  submitted  to  the  buff- 
ing operation  to  produce  a  uniform  finish  and  light  color  to  the 
soles  when  made  into  shoes.  This  process  will  also  be  of  great 
value  to  tanners  making  sole  and  upper  leather  from  dry  flint  hides. 
There  will  always  be  found  in  this  class  of  hides,  many  that  are 


SULPHIDE  OF  SODIUM  PROCESS.  135 

sun-burned,  particularly   those    coming  from   Africa    and  South 
America,  and  it  is  a  diflScult  matter  to  work  them  in  warm  weather; 
to  soak  them  suflSciently  long  to  bring  the  hide  back  to  its  original 
condition,  putrefaction  would  set  in,  and  unless  the  hides  are  made 
pliable  before  going  into  the  lime,  all  subsequent  labor  is   lost  in 
the  endeavor  to  produce  plump  and  healthy  leather.     For  a  soak 
of  fifty  whole  hides  intended  for  upper  leather,  and  averaging  some 
twenty  pounds  each,  dissolve  one  pound  of  the  sulphide  of  sodium 
in  hot  water  and  pour  into  the  pit,  previously  filled  with  cold  water  ; 
mix  thoroughly  with  plunger  and  throw  in  the  hides.     This  has  a 
tendency  to  not  only  preserve  the  hides  during   the   soaking,  but 
will  soften  up  the  sun-burned  portions  and  greatly  facilitate  the  un- 
hairing  process  at  a  later  stage.  After  being  immersed  two  or  three 
days  pull  up  the  hides  and  examine  their  condition.     Those   that 
have    yielded  more    readily   to    the  water    and  sodium,     throw 
aside,  and  carry  them  along  by  first  milling   in   the  wash-wheel 
without  water  until  a  friction  is  created,  and  the  former  rigid  feel- 
ing broken,  then  let  into  the  wheel  a  bounteous  supply  of  water 
until  the  hides  are  practically  freed  from  blood,  dirt  and  manure, 
when  they  will  be  in  good  condition   for  fleshing  over  the  beam. 
The  balance  of  the  pack,  should  the  hides  show  no  sign  of  putre- 
faction, may  be  thrown  back  into  the  soak  again  after  lying  in  pile 
a  few  hours  to  partially  sweat  them,  when  they  will  soften  more 
readily  in  the  solution.     It  will  not  be  necessary  to  run  off  this  so- 
lution and  fill  the  pit  again  with  clear  water  until  the  entire  pack 
is  soaked.     If  in  cold  weather,  and  the  water  is  cold,  the  same  may 
be  used  with  some  replenishing  of  water  and  sodium  for  several 
successive  packs,  as  the  ammonia,  blood  and  filth  accumulated  will 
facilitate  the  soaking  of  dry  flint  hides;  but  care  must  be  taken  that 
this  may  not  be  carried  too  far,  and  that  the  hides  be  pulled  out 
frequently  and  then  select  out  such  as  yield   more   readily.     For 
sole  hides,  of  greater  average  weight,   add  one-third  to  one-half 
more  of  the  sodium  in  the  soaks  and  treat  in  the  same  way,  being 
careful  not  to  use  such  a  quantity  as  will  loosen  the  hair  too  freely 
while  in  the  soaking  process,  else   a   loss   of  weight  would  ensue 
when  the  hides  are  later  immersed  in  the  sodium  and  lime  solution 
for  completely  removing  the  hair.     For  soaking  dry  kips  and  calf- 
skins, a  comparatively  small  amount  of  sodium  per  skin  would  be 


136  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

required,  and  may  be  regulati  d  by  the  average  weights,  although 
skins  of  finer  texture  require  a  stronger  solution  to  eflfect  the  desired 
object  than  do  heavy,  coarse  hides. 

The  leather  manufacture,  unlike  most  other  manufacturing  in- 
dustries, requires  so  long  a  period  to  convert  the  raw  material  into 
leather,  that  tanners  are  naturally  shy  in  adopting  new  methods, 
for  when  the  first  packs  are  ready  for  the  finishing  the  entire  yard 
is  filled  with  the  stock  thus  prepared,  and  should  it  fail  to  come  up 
to  expectations  great  loss  would  ensue.  This  uncertainty  has 
prevented  many  tanners  from  getting  out  of  the  old  ruts  in  which 
they  and  their  fathers  have  followed  for  generations.  When  the 
writer,  after  having  made  several  experiments  in  the  use  of  sul- 
phide of  sodium,  and  when,  having  become  convinced  of  its  prac- 
tical utility,  he  was  then  somewhat  chary  in  filling  the  yard  with 
stock  so  prepared,  and  is  free  to  admit  that  many  days  and  nights 
were  passed  in  fear  and  trembling  as  to  the  outcome.  But  when 
the  first  packs  came  out,  and  the  leather  was  thoroughly  tested  in 
the  rough  and  finished  state,  all  misgivings  disappeared  like  dew  be- 
fore the  morning  sun,  and  he  then  unhesitatingly  declared  in  favor 
of  sulphide  of  sodium  over  lime  and  chicken  manure  for  depilat- 
ing and  depleting  the  hides. 

No  exact  formula  can  be  prescribed  in  the  use  of  sulphide 
of  sodium  than  can  be  given  wherein  lime  and  chicken  manure 
are  employed  for  obtaining  the  desired  results.  Much  depends  on 
the  weight  and  class  of  hides  used,  and  the  quality  of  the  several 
products  of  lime  and  sulphide  of  sodium,  as  also  that  of  chicken 
manure.  Therefore,  I  would  advise  tanners  to  first  make  experi- 
ments with  one  hide,  of  the  average  class  they  are  working,  and 
note  results.  One  great  objection  to  its  introduction  has  been 
through  the  opposition  from  the  ' '  beamsters, ' '  the  men  employed 
in  handling  the  hides.  Many  of  them  have  been  educated  to  the 
old-time  principles,  and,  like  their  employers,  are  loth  to  encourage 
any  new  formulae,  and  have,  in  many  instances,  to  the  writer's 
knowledge,  discountenanced  the  use  of  sulphide  of  sodium  by  in- 
genious predictions  as  to  the  evil  effects  it  would  have  on  the  hides. 
The  writer  had  this  experience,  and  had  he  been  guided  by  the 
repeated  objections  from  this  source,  and  the  imaginary  results 
which  were  sure  to  follow,  by  unhairing  the  hides  from  out  a  bath 
of  sulphide  of  sodium,  and  immersing  them  in  the  liquors  in  one  and 
the  same  day,  he  would  never  have  learned  the  true  value  of  this 


SUIvPHIDE  OF  SODIUM  PROCESS.  137 


substitute  for  lime  and  chicken  manure.  The  old  saying,  ' '  Be 
sure  you  are  right,  and  then  go  ahead,"  is  a  true  one,  and  will  well 
apply  to  this  innovation  on  old-time  principles.  There  are  but 
few  tanners  who  are  free  to  acknowledge  the  injurious  effects  of 
lime  and  chicken  manure  for  swelling  and  reducing  the  hides,  and 
the  constant  care  and  anxiety  attending  their  use,  but  how  few  of 
those  are  there  who  are  willing,  or  have  the  courage  to  take  the 
initiative,  or  to  even  follow,  until  compelled  to  do  so  through  self- 
protection  ? 

The  question  will  naturally  be  asked,  ' '  How  is  the  lime,  which 
is  employed  in  connection  with  the  sulphide  of  sodium,  neutralized 
wherein  the  bating  of  the  hides  with  chicken  manure  is  dispensed 
with?"  This  question  may  be  answered  more  intelligently  by 
practical  chemists,  but  certain  it  is,  however,  the  lime  is  thus  neu- 
tralized by  the  combination  process,  the  same  as  with  sole  leather 
hides  when  immersed  in  the  sulphuric  acid  baths,  or  to  that  of 
putting  two  bull  dogs  into  a  pit  to  prove  which  is  the  conqueror. 
In  buff  leather  tannage  no  bating  is  required,  as  soda-ash  and 
brimstone  are  used  in  connection  with  lime,  which  robs  the  lime 
of  its  caustic  properties,  or  neutralizes  it,  as  it  were,  during  the 
swelling  process,  and  no  injurious  effects  are  noticeable  when  the 
hides  are  immersed  in  the  tannic  acid.  Similar  results  are  obtained 
through  the  use  of  sulphide  of  sodium,  whatever  the  constituent 
parts  may  be,  and  though  lime  may  be  used  freely  in  connection 
with  it,  no  bating  with  chicken  manure  will  be  required  to  neu- 
tralize the  lime. 

Henry  R.  Proctor,  F.  C.  S.,  in  his  text  book  on  tanning,  says  : 
"The  substance,  as  manufactured  by  De  Haen,  of  List,  Hanover, 
is  in  small  crystals,  colored  deep  greenish-black  by  iron  sulphide, 
which  must  have  been  held  in  suspension  at  the  time  of  crystalliza- 
tion. If  the  salt  be  dissolved  in  water,  and  the  solution  be  allowed 
to  stand,  this  is  gradually  deposited  as  a  black  sediment,  leaving 
the  supernatant  liqour  perfectly  clear  and  colorless.  Sodium  sul- 
phide is  now  manufactured  from  tank  waste  in  a  much  purer  form 
by  Schaffner  and  Helbig's  process,  of  which  Messrs.  Gamble,  of 
St.  Helens,  are  sole  licensees.  The  crystallized  salt  isSNa^  lo  Aq., 
and  therefore  contains  69.8  per  cent  of  water." 

As  previous]}^  mentioned,  it  was  during  the  year  1873  that  the 
writer  made  his  first  experiments  with  sulphide  of  sodium,  and, 
after  adopting  it  as  a  substitute  for  lime,  etc.,  he  was  tempted  to 


138  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

publish  an  article  in  the  Reporter^  the  only  trade  paper  then  in  ex- 
istence, on  the  merits  of  sulphide  of  sodium,  and  the  result  of  his 
experiments,  with  a  view  to  obtain  further  information  from  tan- 
ners who  might  have  had  more  extensive  use  of  it.  The  result 
was  letters  were  received  from  tanners  from  all  sections  of  the  coun- 
try, who  were  then  anxious  to  become  acquainted  with  its  use,  and 
from  only  one  tanner  did  I  learn  that  he  had  used  it,  and  then  on 
sole  leather  only,  and  said:  "He  would  back  up  all  that  I 
claimed  for  it."  That  tanner,  if  my  memory  serves  me  right,  was 
Adolph  Rose,  of  New  York.  He  had  been  using  De  Haen's  sul- 
phide of  sodium  for  one  or  more  years  on  sole  leather  hides  with 
gratifying  results.  The  writer  has  never  had  the  pleasure  of  meet- 
ing that  gentleman,  but  would  advise  sole  leather  tanners  who 
contemplate  using  this  agent  to  correspond  with  him. 

It  was  then  counseled  by  the  manufacturer  of  the  sulphide  to  use 
it  in  connection  with  lime  or  pipe-clay,  in  the  form  of  paste,  and 
smear  the  hair  side  with  the  paste,  and  allow  the  hides  to  remain 
in  snug  pile  for  fifteen  to  twenty  hours  before  unhairing.  This 
method  was  more  particularly  for  sole  leather  hides,  with  a  view 
not  to  disturb  the  gelatine,  and  that  action  should  be  had  directly 
on  the  hair.  But  after  several  experiments  in  that  direction,  I 
would  discountenance  the  application  of  the  sodium  in  that  form, 
but  to  use  it  in  connection  with  the  milk  of  lime,  and  in  the  pits, 
and  for  heavy  sole  leather  hides,  by  pinning  them  together  and 
reeling  them  from  one  pit  to  another  frequently,  or  continuously, 
and  make  the  solution  of  sufficient  strength  to  operate  on  the  hair 
in  from  five  to  six  hours  time,  and  then  reel  them  into  a  hot-water 
bath  of  from  ioo°  to  iio°  Fahrenheit,  and  there  to  remain  only  a 
few  hours  before  unhairing.  By  this  method  the  action  of  the  sul- 
phide and  lime  is  confined  to  the  hair,  without  disturbing  the  gela- 
tine of  the  hide,  and  if  making  non-acid  slaughter  sole,  the  leather, 
when  tanned,  will  be  fuller  in  the  flanks,  of  a  thicker  grain  for 
bufl&ng  purposes,  and  more  weighty  leather  can  be  produced  than 
by  lime  alone.  If  a  firmer  quality  of  leather  is  desired,  the  hides 
may  be  run  through  the  acid  baths  the  same  as  when  the  hides  are 
prepared  by  the  old  process,  but  they  will  have  that  dark,  under- 
lying strata  on  the  grain,  through  the  caustic  effects  of  sulphurio 
acid,  though  not  as  pronounced  as  wherein  lime  is  employed  ex- 
clusively. 

Several  tanners,  during  the  time  these  experiments  were  made, 


SULPHIDE  OF  SODIUM  PROCESS.  139 

were  induced  to  experiment  with  the  sulphide  of  sodium,  and  sent 
for  sample  packages  for  that  purpose.  One  particular  instance 
may  be  mentioned.  The  writer  was  visiting  Milwaukee  and  hap- 
pened to  go  into  one  of  the  then  prominent  tanning  establishments, 
wherein  wax  upper,  kip  and  harness  leather  were  the  chief  products. 
The  principal  greeted  me,  on  entering,  in  a  cordial  manner  and 
informed  me  that  he  had  read  something  about  the  use  of  sulphide 
of  sodium,  and  that  he  was  going  to  give  it  a  trial,  he  having  pre- 
viously ordered  a  sample  package  of  one  hundred  pounds.  He 
asked  me  to  give  him  some  points  as  to  the  mixture  and  applica- 
tion of  it  to  the  hides,  which  service  was  freely  tendered,  and  we 
went  to  the  beam-house  for  that  purpose.  Not  having  much  spare 
time,  I  informed  him  that  we  would  take  one  hide  and  carry  it 
through  by  what  was  termed,  ' '  the  lightning  process. ' '  The  beam 
hands  were  engaged  in  fleshing  hides  into  the  lime.  I  took  from 
the  package  fully  one-half  pound  of  the  sulphide  and  dissolved  it 
in  one  quart  of  hot  water  and  poured  it  into  the  lime  tub,  employed 
for  slacking  lime  ;  then  put  in  about  three  pails  of  milk  of  lime 
from  one  of  the  lime  pits,  of  moderately  fair  strength.  One  hide. 
or  two  sides  fleshed,  were  then  taken  from  the  soak  and  put  into 
the  solution  and  by  continual  agitation,  in  seven  minutes  time  the 
sides  were  taken  out  and  thrown  into  the  wash-wheel,  and  run  for 
two  or  three  minutes,  and  were  then  unhaired,  the  hair  slipping 
off  easily,  in  fact  a  good  portion  of  it  came  off  in  the  wheel.  They 
were  then  fine-haired  and  again  washed  in  the  wheel,  until  clean, 
and  immediately  put  into  the  coloring  wheel  and  run  for  about  ten 
minutes,  when  they  were  treated  the  same  as  his  regular  packs 
were  in  the  tannery.  My  object  in  adopting  the  quick  process  was 
to  convince  the  manager  that  the  hides  would  not  be  burned  by  the 
use  of  sulphide,  even  when  applied  in  powerful  doses,  having  be- 
fore tried  the  experiment,  as  given  in  this  chapter,  on  one  steer 
hide,  and  the  results  when  tanned.  For  the  benefit  of  those  who 
may  be  induced  to  try  a  similar  experiment,  I  will  say  that  not  one 
tanner  out  of  ten  would  continue  it,  and  would  become  skeptical 
as  to  adopting  the  longer  time  process.  Why  ?  For  the  simple 
reason  that  the  hide  after  being  in  a  condition  to  go  into  the  liquors, 
presented  an  unattractive  appearance  on  the  grain  side,  being  of 
several  shades  in  color,  and  withal  looked  like  the  hands  of  a 
washerwoman,  after  having  completed  her  day's  work,  yet  of  a  fine 
silky  feeling  on  grain  and  flesh,  as  when  limed  and  bated  in  the 


140  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

usual  manner.  I  plainly  saw  that  the  proprietor  and  workmen 
engaged  were  incredulous  about  making  further  experiments,  and 
after  requesting  him  to  watch  that  hide  during  its  journey  through 
the  tannery  and  finishing  shop,  and  compare  results  with  those 
treated  by  the  old  process,  I  left  him,  With  the  impression  that  my 
friend  would  have  no  more  use  for  me,  or  for  sulphide  of  sodium. 
But  what  was  my  surprise  and  joy  to  meet  this  tanner  in  Chicago 
about  three  months  later,  and  grasping  me  by  the  hand,  uttered  the 

following  expression  :    ' '  D — m  it,   ,  that  hide  that  you  put 

through  by  the  lightning  process  made  the  best  piece  of  leather  I 
ever  handled  ;  I  never  saw  anything  grow  in  the  liquors  like  it, 
or  make  as  fine  and  tough  leather.  It  not  having  been  weighed  in 
the  green  condition,  I  cannot  tell  the  exact  percentage  of  leather 
received.  But  I  tell  you  if  I  only  knew  how  to  handle  that  stuff,  I 
would  fill  my  tannery  with  hides  prepared  by  the  sulphide  of 
sodium  process." 

The  above  is  pretty  conclusive  evidence  that  sulphide  of  sodium 
can  be  used  of  great  strength,  without  injury  to  the  hide,  though 
the  hair  is  worthless,  and  for  this  reason  I  would  recommend  the 
quick  process  for  sole  leather  hides  ;  not  so  radical  treatment  as 
was  applied  to  the  hides  experimented  upon,  but  in  a  few  hours 
time.  Tanners  having  the  courage  and  facilities  to  make  tests, 
and  put  them  in  practical  application,  would,  I  feel  convinced,  re- 
ceive greater  gains,  and  leather  of  improved  quality,  by  this  pro- 
cess in  the  beam-house,  and  by  suspending  the  hides  on  sticks  in 
the  tannery  pits. 


HARNESS  LEATHER.  l** 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

HARNESS   LEATHER. 

Hides  for  this  work  consist  of  heavy  cows  and  native  steers,  and 
free  of  brands.  Tanners  making  a  specialty  of  harness  purchase 
largely  from  the  packers,  as  those  hides  are  taken  off  and  cured 
more  uniformly  and  have  few,  if  any,  cuts  and  scores  on  the  flesh. 
Hides  ranging  from  sixty  pounds  and  upwards  are  more  generally 
employed  for  harness  leather  manufacture,  and  it  is  quite  impor- 
tant that  the  grain  and  flesh  should  be  practically  free  of  imperfec- 
tions, for  unlike  most  other  classes  of  finished  leather  this  is  not 
split,  which  in  a  great  measure  removes  the  imperfections  from  the 
flesh  side.  The  most  objectionable  feature  that  tanners  have  to 
contend  with  in  the  purchase  of  native  packer  steer  and  cow  hides 
are  horn  marks  on  the  hair  side,  caused  by  transporting  the  cattle 
long  distances  in  cars  to  the  packing  houses,  and  not  infrequently 
the  hides  are  badly  disfigured  by  coming  in  contact  with  the  horns 
of  their  companions.  As  a  rule,  the  hides  are  not  trimmed  as  close 
for  harness  leather  manufacture  as  for  upper  leather.  Even  the 
long  shanks  and  the  entire  pates  and  joles  are  often  finished,  which 
present  a  very  unattractive  appearance,  and  which  are  practically 
worthless  in  the  manufacture  of  harness.  As  stated  in  the  preced- 
ing chapters,  it  is  not  good  economy  to  tan  and  finish  glue  stock, 
and  all  such  unsightly  and  worthless  appendages  should  be  cut  oflf 
in  the  hide-house  and  sold  for  glue  stock,  for  which  they  have  far 
greater  value. 

The  preparing  of  the  hides  in  the  beam-house  does  not  materi- 
ally differ  from  those  intended  for  upper  leather,  with  one  or  two 
exceptions.  It  is  not  advisable  to  lime  these  hides  as  high  or  to 
bate  as  low  as  for  boot  and  shoe  leather.  The  gelatine  should  not 
be  destroyed  to  the  same  extent  as  for  upper,  where  pliable  and 
supple  leather  is  the  chief  consideration.  It  should  be  the  aim  to 
protect  the  flanks  and  loose  portions  as  far  as  possible  when  liming 
and  bating  the  hides,  and  have  them  go  into  the  liquors  in  a  fairly 
plump  condition.  For  this  work  I  would  advise  harness  leather 
tanners  to  make  some  experiments  with  sulphide  of  sodium,  the 
formula  and  results  obtained  through  the  use  of  which  were  given 
in  the  preceding  chapter.  There  might  possibly  be  some  objections 
raised  against  the  use  of  sulphide  of  sodium  for  this  work  on  ac- 
count of  its  producing  a  thicker  grain   than  by  liming  and  bating 


142  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

the  old  way,  for,  as  a  rule,  harness  makers  desire  a  thin  grain  on 
the  leather  when  cutting  for  the  several  grades  of  work,  but  I  have 
never,  by  any  plausible  argument,  been  enlightened  as  to  the  thick- 
ness of  the  grain  being  detrimental  to  its  use  for  harness  purposes. 
On  the  contrary,  the  thicker  the  grain  the  finer  it  is,  and  it  will 
not  "  pipe"  up  in  use  as  will  leather  of  thin  grain. 

The  time  is  not  far  distant  when  harness  leather,  like  oil  shoe 
grain  and  imitation  calf,  will  be  finished  by  buffing  or  snufl&ng  off 
the  entire  grain.  Who  will  take  the  initiative  in  this  reform  ?  In 
the  writer's  opinion  it  would  indeed  be  a  reform  on  old-time  meth- 
ods. The  greatest  stride  made  for  generations  in  the  manufacture 
of  harness  leather  was  that  of  wheel  stuffing,  and  although  meet- 
ing with  great  opposition  at  the  outset  by  cutters  of  the  leather,  it 
has  now  come  to  stay,  and  the  leather  so  produced  is  of  far  supe- 
rior quality  and  is  practically  water-proof.  Tanners  have  always 
held  to  the  theory  that  the  grain,  or  the  thin  cuticle  of  the  hide, 
was  a  very  important  agent  in  preventing  water  from  entering  in 
the  pores  and  cells  of  the  leather.  That  theory  has  been  exploded 
and  now  the  styles  of  leather  which  are  enjoying  an  extensive 
demand  and  which  are,  or  can  be  made,  virtually  water-proof  are 
finished  by  buffing  offthe  entire  grain.  The  great  objection  here- 
tofore in  wearing  boots  and  shoes  with  the  grain  on  was  that  after 
a  short  time  they  would  become  hard  and  the  grain  would  ' '  pipe ' ' 
up  and  become  rusty,  unless  liquid  dressings  were  used,  and  then 
given  frequent  applications  of  oil  and  tallow.  But  where  this  cuti- 
cle is  removed  the  former  tinny  feeling  is  also  removed,  and  the 
shoe  may  be  blacked  the  same  as  a  calfskin  or  kip  finished  on  the 
flesh  side. 

Therefore,  I  would  advise  this  class  of  tanners  to  use  the  sulphide 
of  sodium  for  the  purpose  of  producing  not  onlj-  fuller  flanks  and 
better  gains,  but  also  a  thicker  grain,  so  that  when  finishing  a 
buffing  may  be  taken  ofi"  and  then  have  a  good  foundation  left  on 
which  to  finish.  By  adopting  the  method  of  buffing  many  imper- 
fections on  the  grain  will  disappear  and  the  tanner  will  find  that 
he  is  obtaining  a  far  greater  percentage  of  No.  i  leather  than  }je 
did  by  leaving  on  the  grain  as  nature  formed  it.  The  loss  of  weight 
by  buffing  would  be  merely  nominal,  while  the  improved  feeling, 
quality  and  greater  durability  of  the  leather  so  treated  would  be  of 
far  greater  consideration.  To  become  better  convinced,  take  one 
dozen  sides  of  leather  after  it  is  stuffed,  set  out  and  dried,  and  then 


HARNESS  LEATHER.  143 


buff  off  the  grain.  If  the  grain  is  very  thin,  "  snuff  "  it,  that  is, 
split  the  grain,  being  careful  not  to  cut  through  into  the  tanned 
gelatine,  and  black  in  the  usual  manner.  Bj^  this  method  the  black- 
ing will  take  more  freely  and  be  more  indelible,  and  to  the  grain 
side  will  impart  a  smooth,  satin  feeling. 

After  the  hides  are  fine-haired,  run  them  in  the  wash-wheel 
with  cold  water  for  ten  minutes,  and  thence  in  the  handling  or 
coloring  wheel  for  ten  or  fifteen  minutes,  in  a  pure  liquor  of  about 
five  degrees  density.  If  run  in  this  wheel  too  long,  a  prominent 
diamond  figure  will  be  raised  and  the  flanks  greatly  broken,  and 
when  scouring,  it  will  require  extra  labor  in  removing  the  figure. 
For  harness  leather  tanning,  the  suspending  of  the  hides  in  the 
pits  should  take  precedence  over  any  other  method.  In  no  other 
class  of  leather  are  full  and  fine  flanks  and  shoulders  more  desirable 
than  for  harness,  and  in  no  other  way  can  those  objects  be  secured 
more  successfully  than  by  supending  in  the  first  stages,  besides 
yielding  increased  gains  in  the  weight  of  the  leather  when  finished. 
Change  the  packs  and  liquors  daily  for  the  first  few  weeks  and 
each  time  increase  slightly  the  strength  of  the  liquors  and  use  them 
fairly  cold.  For  more  minute  particulars  of  the  tannery  work, 
consult  Chapter  II  of  this  series. 

When  the  leather  is  fairly  ' '  struck, ' '  take  the  sides  from  the 
sticks  and  put  them  in  the  "lay-aways,"  and  give  them  a  good 
layer  of  ground  bark  with  a  first  run  liquor  and  let  them  remain 
for  three  or  four  weeks  to  fill  and  ripen  up.  When  taking  out  to 
skive,  rinse  the  sides  well  in  a  clean  liquor,  and  when  the  excess  of 
liquor  has  been  pressed  out  by  laying  in  pile,  take  them  to  the  lofts 
for  "sammieing." 

SKIVING  AND   RE-TANNING. 

The  skiving  is  done  by  hand  or  by  machine,  and  the  flesh 
should  be  entirely  removed  without  cutting  into  the  blood  veins, 
but  where  thejoles  are  extremely  thick,  give  them  an  extra  cut 
to  somewhat  nearly  conform  to  the  body  portions.  Should  a  more 
attractive  color  be  a  consideration,  and  a  basis  secured  to  hold  the 
black,  which  is  quite  important  in  hemlock  tannage,  then  ruir  he 
sides  for  twenty  minutes  in  the  drum-wheel.  For  twenty  sides, 
put  within  the  wheel  one  pail  of  dry  American  sumac  and  two 
pails  of  strong  gambier  liquor.  For  oak  tanned  leather,  this  work 
can  be  dispensed  with  and  the  sides  taken  back  to  the  tannery  and 
given  a  good  liquor.    Should  those  of  hemlock  tannage  not  be  thor- 


144  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

oughly  tanned  and  well  filled  after  coming  from  the  wheel,  take  them 
back  to  the  yard  and  put  into  a  good  first  run  liquor,  and  throw 
them  up  occasionally  in  pile  to  press  and  change  the  liquors  ;  con- 
tinue this  treatment  until  the  leather  is  in  good  condition  for 
scouring. 

SCOURING   AND    SAMMIEING. 

For  this  work  the  scouring  machine  will  be  found  preferable  to 
hand,  and  untiring  in  its  work  in  practically  scouring  a  side  of 
harness  leather.  First  scour  on  the  flesh  side  until  a  nap  is  raised, 
and  any  remaining  spots  of  flesh  removed ;  then  turn  the  side  grain 
upwards  and  go  over  that  surface  several  times  until  all  the  old 
grain  is  distributed  and  a  natural  alignment  of  the  side  secured, 
and  finally  apply  a  dressing  of  cod  and  parafl&ne  oil  to  the  grain 
and  hang  them  up  to  sammie.  When  the  excess  of  water  is  fairly 
absorbed,  take  the  sides  down  and  dampen  those  portions  which 
are  too  dry,  so  that  the  side  will  be  uniformly  dampened  and  in 
good  condition  to  receive  the  grease.  Care  and  good  judgment  is 
required  for  this  work.  If  too  wet,  a  higher  temperature  of  grease 
and  wheel  will  be  required  to  expel  the  water  before  it  can  be 
replaced  by  the  grease,  and  if  stufi&ng  by  hand,  the  leather  would 
not  hold  the  "  set "  as  well  as  when  in  proper  condition.  If  too 
dry,  the  grease  will  strike  through  to  the  flesh  side  and  become 
discolored,  giving  the  appearance,  when  finished,  of  containing  an 
excess  of  grease,  when  the  real  facts  are,  there  was  a  smaller  quan- 
tity in  the  pores  and  cells  than  would  have  been  the  case  had  the 
leather  been  prepared  just  right.  There  is  a  wide  divergence  of 
opinion  in  regard  to  the  condition  of  the  leather  as  to  the  amount 
of  grease  it  will  carr}^  Some  curriers  claim  that  over-damp 
leather  will  not  carry  as  much  grease  as  leather  wherein  the  water 
is  practically  absorbed.  The  writer  has  made  several  experiments 
in  this  direction,  and  begs  leave  to  differ  with  many  curriers  in 
this  respect.  I  claim  that  leather  uniformly  damp,  so  that  by 
gentle  pressure  on  a  folded  portion  of  the  side,  water  will  ooze  out 
from  the  pores,  it  will  carry  more  grease  and  retain  it,  than  when 
the  leather  is  too  dry  or  fails  to  make  the  above  test.  In  making 
this  claim,  I  am  free  to  admit  that  the  temperature  of  the  grease 
and  wheel  should  be  a  little  higher,  and  the  leather  will  require  a 
few  moments  more  time  in  the  wheel  to  absorb  the  water  and  force 
the  grease  within  the  pores  and  cells.  Further,  leather  so  stufied 
will  fail  to  show  any  discoloration  when  dry,  at  the  same  timg 


HARNESS  LEATHER.  145 


containing  fully  one  pound  more  of  grease  for  an  average  side  of 
harness  leather  than  it  would  have  done  had  it  been  stuffed  com- 
paratively dry.  Similar  results  are  obtained  by  oiling  or  greasing 
a  pair  of  boots  or  shoes.  If  put  on  in  the  condition  when  on  the 
feet,  the  oil  or  grease  will  immediately  strike  through  the  upper 
and  lining,  and  the  sock  is  at  once  soiled  and  the  leather  does  not 
have  that  soft  and  pliable  feeling  as  anticipated,  and  will  not  shed 
water.  But  had  the  boot  or  shoe  been  first  washed  with  warm  or 
tepid  water  and  the  leather  fairly  saturated  and  then  the  oil  or 
grease  applied  and  well  rubbed  in  with  the  warm  hand,  or  near  a 
fire,  the  grease  would  have  been  retained  within  the  cells,  and  no 
soiling  of  the  sock  would  have  ensued,  and  withal  the  leather  would 
have  been  practically  water-proof.  A  few  experiments  of  this 
nature  will  convince  the  most  skeptical,  and  when  in  daily  appli- 
cation in  a  tannery,  wherein  improved  weight  and  quality  of 
leather  are  the  requisites,  the  tanner  who  practices  that  method 
will  have  many  more  dollars  to  his  bank  account  at  the  end  of  the 
year. 

STUFFING. 

This  process  will  be  confined  to  the  stuflQng  by  wheel,  this  being 
a  comparatively  new  method  of  treating  harness  leather.  But 
where  hand-stuflSng  is  adhered  to,  I  would  advise,  before  placing 
the  sides  on  the  table  to  set,  to  first  take  them  to  the  jack  machine 
and  stone  out  well  the  coarse  heads  and  flanks,  which  will  greatly 
facilitate  the  work  in  setting,  and  produce  finer  leather  when  fin- 
ished. 

When  the  leather  is  dampened,  weigh  it  up  in  batches  of  from 
250  to  300  pounds  each,  according  to  the  capacity  of  the  stufBng 
wheel,  and  then  deduct  one-third  of  the  weight,  which  will  fairly 
give  the  weight  of  dry  leather.  For  instance,  should  you  put  in 
the  wheel  300  pounds,  you  would  have  approximatelj'  200  pounds 
of  dry  leather,  and  for  every  200  pounds  of  leather,  put  within  the 
wheel  a  sufficient  amount  of  grease  that  the  leather  will  absorb 
without  waste  ;  but  where  heavy  grease,  like  stearine,  tallow  and 
degras  are  employed,  there  will  be  little  fear  of  getting  in  too  much. 
It  would  be  misleading  to  give  any  definite  amount  for  each  side  or 
per  100  pounds  of  leather,  as  miscellaneous  tannages  require  dif- 
ferent treatment,  particularly  in  the  stuffing.  To  be  on  the  safe 
side,  increase  the  amount  at  first  from  two  to  two  and  one-half 
pounds  per  side  over  what  has  been  applied  by  hand-stuffing,  and 


146  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

note  the  results.  If  too  much,  reduce  the  amount  or  increase,  as 
the  case  may  be,  until  the  object  is  attained.  The  temperature  of 
the  grease  and  wheel  should,  when  ready  for  putting  in  the  leather, 
be  at  about  140  degrees  F.,  and  the  wheel  run  for  thirty  minutes; 
then  throw  off  the  belt,  open  the  door  and  run  it  again  for  five  or 
ten  minutes,  to  cool  off  the  sides.  The  kinds  of  grease  best  adapted, 
for  this  work,  are  stearine,  curriers'  stuffing  grease,  cake  tallow 
and  English  degras,  but  only  some  ten  to  fifteen  per  cent  of  degras. 
No  oils  of  any  nature  should  be  used  in  the  stuffing  wheel.  This 
is  one  great  advantage  in  wheel-stuffing,  over  that  of  hand  ;  when 
the  grease  is  spread  upon  the  side,  the  tallow  must  be  greatly 
reduced  with  oils  to  apply  it,  or  in  fact,  for  the  leather  to  absorb  it 
while  hanging  in  the  lofts  at  seventy  or  more  degrees  temperature. 
JBut  where  a  temperature  of  140  degrees  is  applied,  the  heaviest 
greases  can  be  employed  and  properly  forced  within  the  pores  and 
cells  of  the  leather,  and  there  remain  imbedded  until  the  leather  is 
fairly  worn  out  in  doing  service.  This  is  the  true  principle  for 
stuffing  harness  leather,  for  what  other  makes  of  leather  are  there 
that  are  so  exposed  to  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  heat,  cold, 
rain  and  sunshine  ?  The  stuffing  of  harness  leather  by  wheel  is  more 
generally  done  by  hemlock  tanners,  but  when  buyers  and  consum- 
ers of  harness  leather  fully  appreciate  the  increased  value  of  leather 
so  stuffed,  the  supple  and 'water-proof  qualities,  harness  leather 
tanners  will  be  forced  to  abolish  the  olden  time  method  of  hand- 
stuffing. 

Take,  for  instance,  many  of  the  finest  sets  of  harness  made  from 
oak  or  hemlock  tanned  leather  and  those  stuffed  by  hand,  and  let 
them  be  exposed  for  a  few  hours  in  rain  or  snow,  the  next  day 
when  dry  they  will  be  hard  and  kinky.  To  bring  them  to  their 
former  condition,  neats-foot  or  castor  oil  is  applied  ;  then  a  solution 
of  castile  soap.  Had  the  leather  been  stuffed  with  heavy  grease  in 
the  wheel,  all  that  it  would  absorb,  the  harness  made  therefrom 
would  have  withstood  the  storms  for  weeks  without  affecting  its 
suppleness  or  lustre.  It  is  like  paint  to  wood  ;  the  lead  and  oil  fill 
the  pores,  and  when  once  removed  and  exposed  to  storms  and  sun- 
shine, it  commences  to  decay.  The  same  principle  will  hold  good 
when  applied  to  buffing  off  the  grain  of  harness  leather,  or  in 
dressing  lumber  on  the  surface  ;  water  will  not  penetrate  as  readily, 
particularly  where  there  is  a  repellant  within  the  pores  and  cells. 
Take  the  buffings  from  the  grain  of  leather,  and  with  slight  strain. 


HARNESS  LEATHER.  147 

hold  it  to  the  naked  eye,  and  you  will  readily  discover  innumerable 
pores,  while  on  the  grain  surface,  from  that  which  it  was  removed, 
it  is,  to  all  appearances,  compact  and  smooth  as  glass.  When  this 
grain  or  buffing  is  left  on  the  leather,  it  is  but  natural  that  those  mil- 
lions of  small  pores  would  act  as  pockets  between  the  cuticle  and 
corium  of  the  hide,  thereby  having  a  tendency  to  retain  the 
moisture  and  eventually  destroy  the  life  of  the  leather. 

SETTING. 
Where  the  setting  machine  is  at  hand,  it  will  be  found  very 
desirable  for  working  out  the  grain  to  produce  a  smooth  surface 
and  firm  leather  ;  for  wherein  heavy  leather,  like  harness,  is  run 
in  the  stuffing-wheel,  there  will  be  a  prominent  figure  raised  in  the 
grain  similar  to  that  produced  by  cork -boarding.  This  has  been 
one  great  objection  to  wheel-stuffing  harness  leather  ;  further,  the 
leather  would  not  hold  the  "set"  as  firmly  as  when  it  was  hand- 
stuffed.  This  was  largely  due  to  improperly  dampening  before 
going  into  the  wheel,  but  this  defect  has  been  greatly  overcome 
when  the  stuffers  and  setters  became  more  familiar  with  the  work. 
Set  the  sides  firmly  on  flesh  and  grain,  and  then  give  a  light 
dressing  of  oil  on  the  grain  side ;  then  suspend  the  sides  from  tail 
to  head  on  racks  to  dry.  Let  them  dry  slowly  without  exposure  to 
strong  draft  of  air  or  light.  When  partially  dry.  should  the  old 
grain  not  be  thoroughly  put  out,  take  down  the  sides  and  by  jack 
or  setting  machine,  give  them  a  good  stoning  on  the  grain  side, 
which  will  effectually  remove  all  traces  of  old  grain  and  give  to  the 
leather  a  firm,  yet  mellow  feeling.  Hang  up  again  until  thor- 
oughly dry. 

FINISHING. 

Should  experiments  in  buffing  off  the  grain  be  made,  this  will 
he  the  first  operation,  after  having  slicked  over  the  flesh  side  with 
a  fairly  sharp  steel  slicker.  The  buffing  may  be  done  the  same  as 
for  oil  shoe  grain  or  machine-sewed  welt,  and  as  previously  men- 
tioned ;  should  the  leather  be  of  thin  grain,  caused  by  high  liming 
and  too  low  bating,  then  merely  split  the  cuticle,  but  where  the 
hides  are  prepared  by  the  sulphide  of  sodium  process  in  the  beam- 
house,  and  then  suspended  on  sticks  in  the  tannery  pits,  a  heavier 
huffing  may  be  taken  off  and  a  fine  and  perfectly  smooth  founda- 
tion will  be  secured  on  which  to  finish. 

BLACKING. 

The  mordant  composed  of  chipped  logwood  and  sal -soda,  is  pre- 


148  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


pared  in  the  usual  way.  Many  curriers  still  adhere  to  the  use  of 
urine  to  draw  the  color  and  strength  from  the  logwood,  and  to  assist 
in  neutralizing  the  grease  on  the  grain  surface,  so  as  ro  produce  an 
indelible  black. 

Sal-soda  is  now  more  extensively  used  for  that  work,  and  is  much 
cleaner,  and,  as  a  rule,  more  efifective.  But  care  should  be  given 
in  using  either  soda  or  urine  of  too  great  strength,  else  when  the 
leather  is  dry  a  white  scum  will  appear  on  the  grain  surface,  which 
will  be  found  very  diflScult  to  remove.  The  operatives  doing  this 
woi  k  should  be  frequently  cautioned  in  this  respect,  for  should  the 
leather  fail  to  take  the  sig  readily,  an  extra  lump  of  soda  is  put  into 
the  logwood  to  facilitate  the  work,  and  to  save  elbow  labor. 
The  gaeat  secret  of  obtaining  a  good  black,  is  to  have  the  grain  pro- 
perly prepared  wi  th  the  sig  before  the  blacking  is  put  on.  Wherein 
the  grain  is  buffed  off,  comparatively  little  labor  will  be  required 
in  the  blacking,  but  when  on  it  must  be  fully  saturated  with  sig 
and  well  rubbed  in,  until  the  grain  is  mellow  and  uniformly  damp; 
then  apply  the  blacking  with  a  horse-hair  brush,  which  will  take 
effect  instantaneously  and  with  little  labor. 

When  blacked,  give  to  the  grain  a  dressing  of  hot  tallow,  and 
hang  up  to  dry.  When  fully  dry,  place  each  side  on  a  clean  and 
smooth  faced  table  and  go  over  the  grain  with  a  glass  tool  until  the 
surface  has  a  smooth,  glass-like  appearance,  and  should  the  tallowed 
surface  fail  to  be  uniformly  distributed  by  the  glassing,  take  a 
woolen  rag  and  work  the  tallow  into  the  pores  ;  this  will  also  pro- 
duce a  rich  lustre  to  the  black.  Trim  off  all  ragged  portions  and 
assort  for  the  several  classifications. 

HARNESS   MORDANTS. 

For  the  mordant  use  about  one  pound  of  sal-soda  to  one  bushel 
of  chipped  logwood.  Place  the  ingredients  in  a  coarse  sack,  and 
with  a  stout  cord  attached  to  the  neck,  suspend  the  sack  over  the 
barrel  by  a  pulley  connected  with  the  floor  timbers  above.  Take 
an  ordinary  barrel  of  about  fifty  gallons,  and  fill  nearly  full  with 
soft  water,  condensed  steam  preferred,  and  by  direct  steam  connec- 
tion force  the  steam  into  the  barrel  until  near  a  boiling  heat. 
Raise  and  lower  the  sack  at  intervals  in  the  barrel,  and  apply  the 
mordant  hot  to  the  grain  with  a  stiff  bristle  brush.  When  the  color 
of  the  logwood  is  well  absorbed  throw  it  away,  and  refill  the  sack 
as  before. 


HARNESS  LEATHER.  149 


BLACKING. 

The  same  recipe  as  given  for  boot  grain  and  oil  shoe  grain 
blacking  makes  an  excellent  harness  black,  it  being  clean,  cheap 
and  durable,  and  is  made  as  follows :  Take  nine  pounds  of 
copperas,  one-fourth  potmd  of  epsom  salts,  six  ounces  of  ascetic 
acid,  and  one  ounce  of  nut-galls.  Mix  and  dissolve  by  steam  pipe 
in  a  pail  of  soft  water.  Turn  into  a  barrel  prepared  for  that  pur- 
pose, then  add  sufficient  soft  water  to  make  in  all  forty  gallons. 
It  is  ready  for  immediate  use  at  a  cost  of  one  cent  per  gallon. 


150  LKxlTHER  MANUFACTURE. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


OAK   AND    HEMI^OCK    BARK    EXTRACTS. 

An  English  correspondent  to  a  lyondon  trade  paper — Leather — 
says  :  "As  the  population  of  different  countries  increases  and 
their  numerous  wants  become  more  varied,  the  employment  of  pre- 
pared skins  is  developed,  perhaps  more  largely  than  any  other 
branch  of  industry.  As  a  necessary  result,  the  materials  for  work- 
ing, and  especially  for  tanning  hides  and  skins  of  various  kinds, 
are  more  and  more  sought  after.  No  states  in  the  Old  World,  or 
very  few,  can  supply  from  their  own  soil  the  material  required. 
Hence,  these  have  to  be  sought  for  afar  off  and  chiefly  in  tropical 
regions,  where  nature  furnishes  them  in  abundance." 

What  other  country  than  America  can  furnish  in  greater 
abundance  and  at  comparatively  small  cost  oak  and  hemlock  bark 
extracts  ?  Sumac,  canaigre  root  and  numerous  other  vegetable 
tanning  agents  can  also  be  raised  and  converted  into  extracts  to 
meet  present  and  prospective  demands,  not  only  of  the  tanners  of 
this  country,  but  those  of  the  Old  World.  Oak  and  hemlock  ex- 
tracts, two  popular  tanning  agents,  have  been  in  steady,  increasing 
demand  for  export  to  England  and  the  continent,  and  are  destined 
to  further  displace  the  use  of  the  more  expensive  tanning  materials 
of  those  countries. 

Much  has  been  said  of  late  in  relation  to  bark  extracts,  and  not 
for  years  have  the  American  tanners  taken  such  an  interest  in  their 
tanning  materials  as  at  the  present  time.  Frequent  inquiries  are 
being  made  in  relation  to  the  cost  of  extracts  in  comparison  with 
the  crude  bark,  and  the  advantages  to  be  derived  through  their 
use.  In  a  general  way  I  will  endeavor  to  show  cause  why  the 
tanners  should  more  generally  introduce  extracts  into  their  tanner- 
ies as  a  substitute,  wholly  or  in  part,  with  ground  bark.  The  barks 
of  our  forests  will  not  last  forever,  especially  when  such  great  waste 
is  allowed  as  at  the  present  time.  It  is  claimed,  and  justly  so, 
that  the  average  tanners  do  not  obtain  more  than  sixty-five  to 
seventy  per  cent  of  the  tannic  acid  from  their  bark  with  the  present 
system  of  grinding  and  leaching.     This  showing,  after  the  bark 


OAK  AND  HEMLOCK  BARK  EXTRACT.  151 

has  been  transported  for  hundreds  of  miles  and  at  an  expense 
in  freight  rates  equal  to  the  first  cost  of  the  bark,  is  not  of  it- 
self creditable  to  the  intelligence  and  usual  economy  practiced 
by  the  tanners  of  this  country. 

This  fact  has  been  presented  to  the  tanners  so  plainly  and 
forcibly  through  chemical  analysis  of  the  so-called  spent  bark,  and 
the  greatly  increased  percentage  of  tannic  acid  obtained  from  a 
given  number  of  cords  of  bark  by  extract  manufacturers,  that  the 
tanners  are  fast  opening  their  eyes  to  the  fact  there  has  been  great 
waste  going  on  for  years  by  the  use  of  crude  bark,  even  with  the 
aid  of  the  more  approved  appliances  for  grinding  and  leaching. 
This  loss  in  itself  is  in  reality  no  fault  of  the  tanners,  as  it  is  almost 
an  impossibility  for  them  to  exhaust  all  of  the  tannin  from  the 
bark,  more  particularly  in  sole  leather  tanneries  wherein  the  pit 
capacity  is  charged  with  liquors  of  a  higher  density.  In  upper 
leather  tanneries,  where  a  lower  degree  of  liquors  are  desirable  for 
the  green  stock,  the  running  over  of  the  exhausted  liquors  on  new 
or  partially  spent  leaches  will  naturally  extract  a  larger  proportion 
of  the  tannic  acid  than  would  a  twenty-five  degree  liquor  in  a  sole 
leather  tannery. 

In  either  case  the  tanner  is  obliged  to  use  an  unnecessary 
amount  of  water  in  flooding  his  leaches,  to  rinse  out  the  tannic 
acid  held  in  solution  before  pitching.  Herein  is  where  the  extract 
manufacturer  has  a  decided  advantage  over  the  tanner ;  not  that 
he  can  dispense  with  a  less  quantity  of  water  in  the  leaching  of 
his  bark,  on  the  contrary',  but  he  has  at  his  command,  and  at  great 
cost,  all  the  modem  appliances  for  grinding,  leaching  and  concen- 
trating the  large  volume  of  liquid  into  a  small  compass.  To  do 
this  successfully  requires  immense  outlays  in  boiler  and  pumping 
capacity,  copper  vacuum  pans,  etc.  In  place  of  boiling  up  the 
leaches  in  the  several  runs,  and  running  off  the  liquors  directly 
into  the  pits,  the  extract  makers  run  them  into  their  condensing 
pans,  where  the  excess  of  water  is  exhausted,  and  the  product 
^becomes  of  about  the  consistency  of  tar  or  molasses.  The  process 
of  concentrating  being  performed  in  vacuum  pans  of  copper,  there 
is  no  waste  of  the  tannic  acid,  as  when  boiled  down  in  the  open 
air,  where  a  large  portion  of  the  astringent  properties  pass  off  in 
vapor,  leaving  a  residue  indicating  great  density,  but  found  want- 
ing as  a  pure  tanning  agent. 

Letus  go  back  fifty  years,  for  instance,  when  many  New  England 


153  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

tanneries' were  without  cover  from  protection  of  the  inclemencies  of 
the  weather  ;  when  the  bark  was  crushed  by  the  mill-stone  and  the 
old  iron  bark  mill  operated  by  horse  power,  grinding  one  cord  of  bark 
daily.  Then  and  for  several  years  afterward,  but  few  tanners  had 
steam  boilers  or  engines.  The  hides  were  soaked,  limed  and  bated 
the  same  as  now,  but  with  cold  water  and  liquors.  There  was  no 
leaching  of  the  bark  for  the  reason  they  had  not  the  leaches  or 
steam,  with  but  few  exceptions  ;  the  pits  were  built  the  same,  but 
without  log  conveyors  at  top  and  bottom  to  change  the  liquors  ; 
no  junk,  no  pumps,  in  fact,  everything  was  done  in  a  very  crude 
way.  Still  later  some  one  or  more  tanners,  with  more  enterprise 
and  capital,  built  steam  mills  for  grinding  the  bark  and  milling  the 
hides,  and  many  small  tanners  went  to  them  to  have  their  bark 
ground  and  hides  milled,  paying  one  dollar  a  cord  for  the  former, 
and  five  cents  a  hide  for  the  latter  work.  Each  tanner  was  allowed 
a  bin,  having  a  tub  within  for  hot  water,  which  was  thrown  upon 
the  bark  after  being  ground,  and  which  swelled  the  fibre  and 
opened  up  the  cells.  This  was  considered  a  great  improvement  in 
those  days,  and  tanners  began  to  believe  a  new  era  had  dawned  upon 
the  tanning  industry.  The  hides  were  handled  a  few  days  in  old 
liquors  from  which  a  pack  of  leather  had  been  taken  out,  after  being 
interred  for  months.  The  spent-bark  was  skimmed  out  of  the  pit 
and  then  spread  upon  the  green  hides,  and  the  packs  thus  laid 
away  remained  until  the  grain  was  fairly  colored,  when  the  hides 
were  given  the  first  layer  of  tresh  ground  bark.  After  receiving 
three  layers  and  increasing  the  quantity  of  bark  each  time,  and  re- 
posing from  one  month  to  two  and  three  respectively,  the  leather, 
or  partially  tanned  hides  were  then  taken  out,  rinsed  and  hardened 
and  then  taken  to  the  currying  shop  for  skiving  and  splitting.  The 
split  leather  was  then  taken  back  to  the  open  yard  again  and  given 
another  layer  of  bark,  and  when  tanned  was  taken  again  to  the 
shop  for  finishing. 

How  many  tanners  are  there  who  would  want  to  go  back  to 
those  days,  and  endeavor  to  make  a  competence  in  the  leather  man- 
ufacture ?  Yet,  at  that  time,  and  nearly  down  to  the  present,  there 
has  been  a  decided  opposition  to  any  changes  from  old-time 
methods  in  tanning  materials  and  machinery.  There  are  those 
now  engaged,  particularly  in  the  Eastern  states,  who  will  readily 
recognize  the  crude  portraying  of  the  tanneries  which  were  for- 
merly in  the  great  tanning  centers  of  the  New  England  states. 


OAK  AND  HEMLOCK  BARK  EXTR.'VCT.  15?] 


And,  what  is  stranger  still,  there  are  several  of  those  old  tan-yards, 
as  we  used  to  call  them,  in  existence  today,  and  tanners  could  be 
counted  by  the  scores  who  have  lost  their  all  in  the  endeavor  to 
make  leather  on  olden-time  principles  in  competition  with  those 
who  are  employing  all  the  most  approved  appliances,  and  are  ever 
watchful  for  an  opportunity  whereby  they  may  lessen  the  cost,  and 
at  the  same  time  produce  a  higher  grade  of  leather  than  formerly. 

The  future  of  the  leather  manufacture  is  destined  to  witness 
more  important  changes  than  has  characterized  it  during  the  last 
half  century.  Those  now  coming  on  the  stage  will  look  back  into 
the  past  and  say  :  ' '  What  old  fogies  our  fathers  and  grandfathers 
were!"  Science  and  chemistry  will  have  much  to  do  with  the 
changes  in  prospective,  and  many  new  tanning  agents  will  un- 
doubtedly be  introduced  to  the  trade.  When  bark  extracts  were 
first  put  :on  the  market,  the  quality  was  greatly  inferior  to  those 
now  made,  and  this  | was  one  of  the  prime  causes  which  induced  the 
tanners  to  make  such  a  decided  opposition  to  their  use  as  a  substi- 
tute for  crude  bark.  In  this  they  were  partially  correct  ;  in  the 
earlier  days  of  bark  extracts  the  writer  had  considerable  experience 
with  them  for  sole  and  upper  leather  tanning.  Even  then,  with 
those  objections  to  encounter,  it  was  found  to  be  a  valuable  assist- 
ant in  that  of  securing  increased  gains  at  about  the  same  cost  of 
bark,  and  with  great  saving  in  time.  Then  hemlock  bark  extract 
sold  at  from  five  to  five  and  one-half  cents  per  pound,  and  of 
greatly  inferior  quality  to  that  which  is  now  being  sold  at  two  and 
one-quarter  and  two  and  one-half  cents.  Then  the  tanner  was 
looked  upon  with  suspicion  who  adopted  any  of  ' '  the  new-fangled 
ideas;"  the  same  when  attaching  power  to  a  splitting  machine, 
setting  up  a  pebbling  or  polishing  machine,  wash  or  stuffing  wheel. 
It  was  good  as  a  circus  to  watch  the  expressions  of  a  quartette  of 
conserv^ative  old  tanners  when  they  assembled  to  witness  the  results 
of  their  more  enterprising  neighbor's  "  folly." 

There  are  those  who  are  ever  ready  to  take  the  lead,  venture  on 
an  uncertainty  with  an  inward  conviction  there  will  be  no  great 
loss  without  some  small  gain.  Were  it  otherwise,  the  tanners 
would  be  groping  in  the  dark  today.  And  yet  most  of  the  im- 
proved appliances  for  making  leather  have  had  their  ©Kistence 
within  the  past  twenty-five  years.  In  the  tanning  materials,  there 
has  been  comparatively  little  change,  except  in  the  manner  of  ap- 
plying them.     Gambier  has  been  used  for  many  years  in  connection 


154  IvEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


with  bark,  and  quite  extensively  so  at  the  East,  where  a  higher 
range  in  bark  values  exists  than  in  the  western  states  ;  but  since 
the  dongola  tannages  sprang  into  existence,  this  agent  has  been  in 
active  demand  at  greatly  increased  cost,  but  when  used  wholly  for 
either  sole  or  upper  leather  tannage,  it  has  not  proved  a  success. 
Canaigre  root,  grown  similar  to  potatoes  in  Mexico,  Texas  and  Ne- 
braska, is  receiving  some  attention  from  tanners,  it  being  a  very 
astringent  tanning  agent.  Extracts  of  oak  and  hemlock  bark  have 
had  an  unprecedented  demand  the  past  two  years.  Tanners  who 
formerly  protested  against  using  extracts,  are  now  pretty  liberal 
patrons,  and  having  become  familiar  with  their  use  and  the  advan- 
tages derived,  could  not  easily  be  induced  to  go  back  to  crude  bark 
wholly  or  in  part.  It  is  so  handy  to  have  extracts  in  the  tannery 
at  all  times,  particularly  during  warm  weather,  when  the  liquors 
are  more  rapidly  exhausted.  Tanners  are  forced  to  acknowledge 
that  the  standard  extracts  of  the  present  manufacture  are  far  differ- 
ent from  those  made  twenty  years  ago.  There  is  opposition  to 
be  found,  however,  among  many,  through  ignorance  or  from  a 
determination  to  see  no  good  in  anything  other  than  that  which  was 
handed  down  to  them  by  their  predecessors.  Still,  it  is  only  a  ques- 
tion of  time  when  those  now  in  the  field  will  take  a  retrospective 
view  and  picture  in  imagination  the  old  bark  stacks,  piled  heaven- 
ward at  great  expense  and  requiring  a  greater  area  for  the  storage 
than  that  of  the  tannery  and  outbuildings,  the  waste  of  tannin 
through  exposure,  and  loss  of  interest  money  in  the  carrying  of 
stocks  from  one  peeling  to  another. 

By  the  use  of  extracts  no  great  storage  capacity  is  required. 
Car  lots  can  be  purchased  from  week  to  week  or  from  month  to 
month,  as  needed.  There  is  no  waste,  fermentation  or  decay  in 
the  carrying.  Should  the  liquors  become  greatly  reduced  the  tan- 
ner will  have  at  hand  the  concentrated  essence  of  bark,  to  use  at  a 
moment's  notice,  thus  preventing  the  hide  from  falling  away  for 
the  want  of  sufiicient  nourishment.  Should  any  breaks  occur  in 
the  grinding  and  leaching  system,  you  have  in  stock  a  friend  in 
need. 

Science   and  chemistry  have  exploded   many  foolish  theories 
in  and  out  of  the  leather  manufacture  ;  in   the  latter,   tanners   are)' 
now  enabled  to  secure  extracts  of  a  high  standard,  made  under  the 
direction  of  practical   chemists,  and  with  the  aid  of  the  most  ap- 
proved appliances  in  machinery  for  preparing  the  bark  and  concen- 


OAK  AND  HEMLOCK  BARK  EXTRACT.  155 

trating  the  liquors,  and  extracts  of  a  high  grade  and  weighing  ten 
pounds  to  the  gallon  are  produced,  having  a  density  of  40°  per 
' '  Twaddle's  hydrometer, ' '  which  is  considered  as  authority  in  ascer- 
taining the  gravity  or  density  of  water,  bark  extracts,  etc.  Tan- 
ners, as  a  rule,  place  too  much  reliance  on  the  barkometer  to  test 
the  actual  strength  of  their  liquors.  When  they  become  sour 
through  decomposition  of  the  tannic  acid,  a  gallic  acid  is  produced 
which  indicates  density  ;  the  same  wherein  sulphuric  acid  is  used, 
the  liquors  show  great  density  by  barkometer  test,  while  it  is  lack- 
ing in  the  real  tannin  properties.  For  instance,  take  a  yard  highly 
charged  with  sulphuric  and  gallic  acids,  the  barkometer  may  indi- 
cate twenty-five  density,  but  when  sweet  and  pure  would  not 
indicate  much  over  fifteen  degrees.  Consequently  it  is  quite 
important  that  some  uniform  method  be  adopted  by  tanners  and 
extract  manufacturers  to  test  the  actual  tanning  properties  of 
their  liquors.  The  great  trouble  with  tanners  using  crude  bark  ex- 
clusively is,  they  are  obliged  to  use  such  quantities  of  water  to 
exhaust  the  tannin  from  the  bark,  and  their  yards  become  flooded 
with  weak  and  sour  liquors.  By  the  use  of  extracts  these  ob- 
jections are  greatly  overcome. 

From  several  experiments  made  by  prominent  extract  makers 
the  following  showing  is  made  relative  to  the  volume  and  value  of 
same  extract  of  different  density  and  weight  :  Based  on  ten 
pounds  per  gallon  as  standard  weight  ;  density,  forty  degrees 
Twaddle,  or  two  hundred  degrees  barkometer,  being  worth  two 
and  one-half  cents  per  pound  at  place  manufactured  ;  also  two  and 
three-quarter  cents  per  pound  at  place  manufactured  ;  the  bark 
ometer  measurement  being  of  a  liquor  composed  of  one  volume  of 
extract  mixed  with  nine  volumes  of  distilled  water.  All  measure- 
ments and  weights  being  at  sixty  and  sixty-two  degrees  Fahren- 
heit— distilled  water  weighing  eight  and  one-third  pounds  to  the 
gallon. 

Example. — If  a  ten-pound  extract  is  worth  two  and  one-half 
cents,  then  a  nine-pound  extract  is  worth  ii^^iV  cents  per  pound  ; 
four  hundred  gallons  of  ten-pound  extract  has  same  amount  of 
tannin  as  one  thousand  gallons  of  nine-pound  extract.  The  density 
of  a  ten  pound  extract  is  forty  degrees,  per  Twaddle's  hydrometer. 
The  density  of  a  nine-pound  extract  is  sixteen  degrees,  per  Twad- 
dle's hydrometer.  The  density  of  a  ten-pound  extract,  with  nine 
parts  of  water  added,  is  twenty  degrees  per  barkometer.    The  density 


150  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

of  a  nine-pound  extract,  with  nine  parts  of  water  added,  is  eight 
degrees  per  barkometer.  The  relative  value  may  be  continued 
until  reaching  eleven  and  one-half  pounds  per  gallon,  which 
would  be  worth  4iW(j  cents  per  pound. 

Plump  and  weighty  sole  leather  cannot  be  made  except  through 
the  use  of  very  astringent  liquors,  and  in  no  way  can  those  liquors 
be  secured  except  in  doubling  and  tripling  in  the  leaching  of 
the  bark,  and  then  at  great  expense,  both  in  labor  and  loss  of  tan- 
nic acid,  as  the  excess  of  water  required  to  leach  the  bark  must  be 
contracted  to  obtain  the  required  density,  and  to  accomplish  this 
in  open  air,  a  high  degree  of  heat  is  applied.  This  method  is  old, 
yet  it  is  neither  economical  nor  practical. 

The  most  successful  sole  leather  tanners  are  those  who  do  not 
absorb  the  full  strength  of  their  bark.  They  claim  to  receive  bet- 
ter gains  and  better  quality  of  leather,  from  the  fact  they  do  not 
require  as  much  water  to  absorb  the  tannin,  consequently  maintain 
their  liquors  to  a  higher  density.  This  may  seem  to  the  unin- 
itiated, or  those  tanners  who  are  making  upper,  or  grain  leather  a 
specialty,  a  broad  statement  to  make,  as  those  tanners  can  use 
their  bark  more  economically,  from  the  fact  they  do  not  require 
like  strength  of  liquors,  and  can  flood  their  bark  more  frequently. 
A  third  degree  liquor,  barkometer  test,  can  be  used  to  advantage  in 
an  upper  leather  tannery,  while  a  liquor  much  under  twenty  de- 
grees would  be  considered  too  weak  for  a  sole  leather  tanner,  result- 
ing in  loss  of  weight  and  plumpness  of  the  stock  so  produced.  In 
either  case,  it  is  not  advisable  nor  economical  for  a  tanner  using 
crude  bark  to  greatly  reduce  his  liquors,  by  continual  flooding  and 
boiling  up  the  bark,  as  the  gum,  resin  and  foreign  matter  are  ex- 
tracted and  carried  through  the  liquors  and  into  the  pores  and 
cells  of  the  hides,  thereby  retarding,  rather  than  facilitating,  the 
tanning  process,  besides  producing  a  crust  and  bloom  on  the  grain 
of  the  leather  which  tends  to  greatly  discolor  it. 

If  the  tanner  can  produce  better  leather,  and  more  of  it,  by  not 
fully  absorbing  all  the  tannin  from  the  bark,  it  does  not  prove  that 
he  should  waste  the  crude  material  when  he  can  buy  extracts  at 
the  same,  or  comparatively  less  prices,  and  secure  greater  gains 
and  as  good  leather,  to  say  the  least.  Hemlock  bark  contains  from 
seven  to  eight  per  cent  of  tannic  acid.  Taking  the  medium,  say 
seven  and  one-half  per  cent,  as  an  illustration,  we  have  from  a  cord 
of  bark — 2, 200  pounds — 165  pounds  of  tannic  acid,  provided  it  is 


OAK  AND  HEMLOCK  BARK  EXTRACT. 


all  extracted,  but  the  average  tanner  does  not  get  more  than  sixtj' 
to  seventy-five  per  cent  by  the  usual  method  of  grinding  and  leach- 
ing, where  the  extract  maker  gets  it  all,  or  within  a  fraction,  by 
the  use  of  the  most  approved  appliances  in  bark  crushers  and 
pumping  capacity.  Not  as  high  a  degree  of  heat  is  required  in  the 
leaching  of  bark  when  crushed,  and  extracts  of  greater  density 
and  purity  are  obtained. 

Harness,  belting,  and  union  sole  leather,  are  the  medium  tan- 
nages, and  will  consume  one-third  their  weight  of  tannic  acid  ; 
therefore  the  tannic  acid  from  one  cord  of  bark,  165  pounds,  should 
give  a  total  weight  of  495  pounds  of  leather.  Plump  acid  sole 
leather,  made  from  Buenos  Ayres  hides,  will  consume  about  half 
its  weight  of  tannic  acid.  Bark  extracts  are  said  to  contain  from 
twenty-five  to  thirty  per  cent  of  tannic  acid,  on  a  basis  of  ten 
pounds  to  the  gallon.  Consequently  it  will  be  seen  that  it  is  much 
cheaper  to  transport  extract  from  the  bark-producing  regions,  where 
it  is  made,  than  to  pay  excessive  freight  charges  on  bark  in  bulk, 
and  then  lose  from  twenty-five  to  forty  per  cent  of  the  tannic  acid, 
as  has  been  repeatedly  demonstrated  by  chemical  analysis  of  many 
tanners'  spent  (?)  bark. 

It  is  claimed  that  five  barrels  of  extract  of  the  standard  grade, 
ten  pounds  to  the  gallon,  will  tan  one  hundred  sides  of  medium 
weight  rough  or  sole  leather  ;  also  that  a  car-load  of  extract,  con- 
taining 40,000  pounds,  has  13,333  pounds  of  pure  tannic  acid. 
Crude  bark,  by  the  old  method  of  leaching,  produces  four  and  one- 
half  per  cent  of  tannic  acid  from  a  cord  of  2,200  pounds  of  bark, 
say  one  hundred  pounds  of  tannic  acid  to  the  cord,  or,  in  other 
words,  there  is  more  tannic  acid  in  one  car  of  40,000  pounds  of 
extract  than  there  is  in  130  cords,  or  eight  or  ten  car-loads  of 
bark. 

One  serious  drawback  to  the  more  general  introduction  of  bark 
extracts  has  been  that  tanners'  first  experiments  have  almost  in- 
variably resulted  in  using  them  of  too  great  strength  in  the  first 
stages.  It  is  claimed  by  the  makers  that  a  ten-degree  extract 
liquor  contains  more  tannic  acid  than  a  fifteen-degree  bark  liquor. 
The  writer  is  prepared  to  vouch  for  the  above  statement,  he  having 
had  similar  experience,  and  when  becoming  convinced  that  a  bar- 
rel of  extract  contained  the  tannic  acid  of  one  and  one-half  to  two 
cords  of  bark  he  began  to  reduce  the  quantity,  and  when  the  med- 
ium point  was  reached  the  results  were  very  gratifying. 


15S  IvEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

Should  the  tanners  of  this  country  show  the  same  interest  as 
have  their  foreign  competitors  in  their  tanning  materials  they 
would  have  ere  this  more  generallj;  adopted  the  use  of  bark  ex- 
tracts, or  at  least  proven  by  repeated  experiments  the  comparative 
cost  and  final  results.  The  advantages  to  be  derived  by  the  use  of 
extracts  are  numerous,  particularly  when  contemplating  building  a 
new  tannery.  In  the  first  place  the  immense  stacks  of  bark  sufl&- 
cient  for  the  season's  use  need  not  be  piled  up,  covering  more  space 
usually  than  does  the  entire  tannery  plant,  to  say  nothing  about 
the  waste  by  exposure,  evaporation  of  the  tannin  and  loss  of  inter- 
est money.  Again,  there  will  not  be  required  bark  mills,  convey- 
ors or  leaches,  which  are  no  small  items  of  expense  in  the  con- 
struction, setting  up  and  keeping  in  repairs.  No  dust  in  and  about 
the  tannery  and  less  danger  from  fire  from  friction.  Extracts  may 
be  received  daily  or  weekly  at  the  tannery,  as  is  flour,  molasses  or 
sugar  in  packages  at  the  bakeries.  For  storing  and  reducing  the 
extracts  for  use  it  is  advisable  to  have  this  building  separate  from 
the  tannery  and  at  a  slight  elevation,  wherein  are  set  up  large  shal- 
low tanks  having  liquor  log  connections  leading  to  the  tannery 
pits.  Into  these  tanks  are  pumped  the  water  or  exhaust  liquors, 
and  heated  at  a  temperature  not  to  exceed  ninety  degrees  Fahr.  in 
winter,  when  the  extract  is  run  in,  and  then  thoroughly  agitated. 
In  the  center  of  the  tank  set  an  upright  shaft  with  pinion  gear  at- 
tachments to  countershaft  overhead  to  operate  at  the  will  of  the  at- 
tendant. At  the  bottom  attach  buckets  or  paddles  nearly  the  di- 
ameter of  the  tank,  so  that  during  the  process  of  mixing  and  run- 
ning off  into  the  pits  a  constant  agitation  of  the  liquor  may  be  had. 
This  will  also  accelerate  the  cooling  ofi"  of  liquors  before  running 
them  into  the  pits  for  use.  In  summer  a  lower  temperature  may 
be  applied,  say  sixty-five  to  seventy  degrees  Fahr.,  but  care  should 
be  taken  not  to  run  the  extracts  into  cold  water  or  liquors  under 
sixty-five  degrees  Fahr.  when  wishing  to  produce  a  perfect  unity  of 
the  liquids  with  the  extract. 

If  contemplating  the  manufacture  of  union  tanned  sole  leather, 
oak  extract  should  be  first  used  on  the  green  hides,  or  until  such 
time  as  the  complexion  of  the  grain  is  well  established.  First  im- 
pressions are  the  more  lasting,  and  at  a  later  stage  when  the  hem- 
lock is  introduced  it  will  be  difficult  to  displace  the  original  color 
of  the  oak  to  that  of  brown  through  the  application  of  hemlock. 
During  the  subsequent  stages  in  the  tanning,  oak  extracts  are 


OAK  AND  HEMLOCK  BARK  EXTRACT.  159 

united  with  the  hemlock,  so  that  in  the  aggregate  some  thirty  per 
cent  of  oak  and  seventy  per  cent  of  hemlock  are  employed  to  pro- 
duce a  union  tannage,  which  is  far  superior  to  either  oak  or 
hemlock  when  used  singly. 

Harness  and  upper  leather  may  be  treated  in  the  same  manner 
in  the  first  stages  and  suspended  in  the  pits,  and  allowing  ample 
space  to  insert  a  plunger,  so  that  frequent  agitation  of  the  liquor, 
may  be  had.  If  bark  is  used  in  connection  with  extracts,  it  is  ad- 
visable to  run  the  reduced  extract  liquid  into  a  leach  of  ground 
bark  before  running  into  the  pits,  for  by  this  process  liquors  of 
greater  purity  can  be  obtained,  as  the  "reds,"  or  anhydrides,  which 
appear  to  be  sediment,  and  which  chemists  claim  to  contain 
over  ninety  per  cent  of  tannin,  are  better  utilized,  they  being  soluble 
only  at  a  temperature  of  no- 120  degrees  F.,  and  while  it  is  not 
practical  to  steam  up  the  tank  to  that  temperature  for  dissolving 
the  extract,  this  may  be  done  with  safety  in  a  leach  of  spent  bark 
in  the  final  washing,  wherein  those  ' '  reds ' '  are  retained  and  finally 
dissolved  at  a  higher  temperature. 

By  the  general  introduction  of  extracts  in  the  tannery  and  the 
abolishing  of  the  bate  nuisance  in  the  beam-house,  the  tannerj^  will 
become  an  institution  not  to  be  avoided  by  the  fastidious  visitor, 
nor  the  bark  dust  and  bate  stench  be  carried  in  the  clothes  to  the 
families  by  the  practical  workers  therein.  Bark  extracts  for  tan- 
"  ning  and  sulphide  of  sodium  for  depilating  and  depleting  the  hides, 
will  eventually  accomplish  the  object,  and  when  that  desired  period 
arrives,  the  millennium  will  have  surely  come. 


160  LEATHER  JNIANUFACTURE. 

CHAPTER  XV. 
abre;ast  with  the  times. 

The  tanning  industry  of  this  country  has  made  greater  strides 
in  the  manufacture  of  fine  shoe  leather  the  past  ten  years  than  dur- 
ing the  present  century.  And  what  is  a  noteworthy  fact,  the  most 
popular  lines  of  leather  for  shoe  purposes  are  now  being  made  at 
places  far  remote  from  the  great  centers  wherein  the  leather  manu- 
facture has  been  carried  on  for  several  generations. 

Some  forty  years  ago  tanneries  were  unknown  in  Chicago 
and  Milwaukee,  two  important  tanning  centers  on  the  shores  of 
Lake  Michigan.  Now  the  products  of  those  two  cities  for  the  past 
year  were  $13,000,000,  and  a  combined  capital  of  $7,000,000  is 
invested  in  the  business,  which  employs  about  4,000  hands  and 
consumes  75,000  cords  of  hemlock  bark  annually,  independent  of 
gambier,  sumac  and  extracts. 

The  manufacture  of  the  celebrated  Chicago  wax  uppers  and  kips 
is  comparatively  of  recent  origin,  for  we  need  not  go  back  over 
twenty-five  years  when  the  tanning  industry  was  in  its  infancy,  but 
having  at  its  doors  the  best  hide  market  in  the  world  and  unlimited 
supplies  of  bark  from  Michigan  and  Wisconsin,  together  with  lake 
and  rail  facilities  such  as  no  other  cities  enjoy,  it  was  no  wonder 
the  tanners  were  enabled  to  compete  and  secure  a  good  portion  of 
trade  from  boot  and  shoe  manufacturers  throughout  the  New 
England  states.  Itisclaimed,  but  without  foundation  in  fact, that  the 
Eastern  tanners  cannot  produce  the  same  quality  of  leather  as  that 
made  in  the  "West.  The  reasons  given  by  those  who  have 
attempted  it  are,  that  the  water  and  atmosphere  were  both 
unfavorable  to  the  tanning  and  drying  the  leather.  But  the  chief 
cause  has  been  that  the  Eastern  tanners  do  not  give  the  care  and 
attention  to  the  numerous  details  as  the  Western  tanners  do. 
Neither  do  they  use  as  good  material  in  the  finish  nor  put  as  much 
hand  labor  to  the  stock,  it  being  mostly  done  by  machinery,  which 
has  a  tendency  to  harden  the  leather.  In  justice  to  the  Eastern 
tanners,  it  may  be  said  they  are  more  practical  and  economical,  but 
too  much  on  the  penny  wise  and  pound  foolish  order,  the  business, 
in  many  instances,  having  passed  from  sire  to  son,  the  members 
serving  a  long  apprenticeship  in  the  calling. 

Still  they  continue  to  plod  on  in  the  same  old  beaten  path  their 
fathers  and  grandfathers  did  before  them.  Those  tanners  who  have 
come  upon  the  stage  at  a  much  later  period,  and  not  a  few  were 
they  who  had  no  practical  knowledge  of  the  business,  have  been 


ABREAST  WITH  THE  TIMES.  161 


successful.  They  had  the  snap,  energy  and  courage,  characteristics 
of  the  business  men  in  the  large  Western  cities.  Take  the  Salem 
and  Peabody  tanners,  for  instance,  with  but  few  exceptions,  outside 
of  the  morocco  manufacture,  their  output  in  waxed  upper,  kips  and 
splits,  made  principally  from  dry  flint  foreign  and  dry  Western  and 
Southern  hides.  Twenty  years  ago,  and  even  at  a  much  later 
period,  should  one  of  those  tanners  invest  his  money  in  green-cured 
Western  hides,  with  a  view  to  finishing  them  into  wax  upper 
leather,  be  would  have  been  considered  a  fit  subject  for  an  insane 
asylum.  Yet,  at  the  same  time,  Chicago  and  Milwaukee  tanners 
were  selling  their  wax  upper  made  from  that  class  of  hides,  to  the 
largest  boot  manufacturers  in  the  New  England  states,  at  from 
three  to  four  cents  per  foot  in  advance  over  what  was  paid  for 
Salem  and  Peabody' s  waxed  upper. 

When  the  war  closed  the  demand  for  the  coarser  grades  of  dry- 
hide  stock  was  greatly  lessened  ;  the  old  style  brogans  worn  largely 
by  the  slaves,  were  substituted  by  fancy  top  calf  boots  or  shoes. 
The  demand  for  Western  wax  upper  has  also  fallen  off  during  the 
past  five  years,  for  the  simple  reason  that  consumers  demanded  a 
change  in  their  footgear.  Farmers,  who  formerly  wore  heavy 
cowhide  boots  of  nine  to  ten  ounce  substance,  and  finished  on  grain 
and  flesh,  fell  back  to  kip,  and  later  to  calf  boots  and  plow  shoes  ; 
while  now  oil  grain  shoes  are  becoming  the  rage. 

The  general  tendency  of  consumers  seems  to  be  toward  lighter 
footwear,  and  they  are  becoming  convinced  that  leather  properly 
tanned  and  finished  of  from  three  to  four  ounce  substance  per  foot, 
is  equally  as  water-proof  as  leather  of  from  nine  to  ten  ounces, 
finished  on  the  grain  side,  and  besides  they  are  more  durable.  The 
Western  tanners,  always  alive  to  their  own  interest,  and  the  wants 
of  trade,  have  kept  abreast  of  the  times  in  this  particular.  When- 
ever they  see  a  falling  ofi"  in  demand  of  their  once  popular  lines, 
they  study  and  experiment  to  produce  more  popular  styles  of  leather. 
to  meet  the  wants  of  fickle  humanity.  It  requires  a  good  deal  of 
courage,  however,  for  a  tanner,  conducting  an  extensive  business, 
to  make  radical  changes,  for  before  he  can  learn  the  actual  results 
of  his  experiments,  which  requires  several  months'  time,  he  has  his 
pits  filled,  and,  should  the  output  fail  to  come  up  to  his  expecta- 
tions, or  those  of  the  trade,  great  loss  ensues.  This  has  been  the 
case  with  the  manufacture  of  dongola  kid,  in  the  several  styles  of 
finish.     Large  sums  have  been  sunk  in  experimenting,  and  those 


162  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

who  were  fortunate  and  succeeded  in  establishing  the  popular 
brands  of  kid,  are  now  reaping  the  benefit  of  their  enterprise  and 
large  outlay  of  money.  The  introduction  of  these  new  styles  has 
also  resulted  in  greatly  lessening  the  importation  of  French  kids, 
formerly  so  popular  with  fine  shoe  manufacturers.  It  is  the  height 
of  folly  for  tanners,  or  those  otherwise  engaged  in  manufacturing, 
to  take  a  decided  stand  against  making  experiments,  or  in  joining 
in  the  saying :  ' '  I^et  well  enough  alone. ' '  When,  having  reached 
that  point  of  perfection,  the  often  quoted  saying  will  have  a  practi- 
cal application,  but  we  have  not  as  yet  reached  that  stratum  where 
the  minerals  of  the  earth  can  be  mined  and  converted  into  pure  gold 
and  silver,  and  if  it  ever  is  done,  it  will  be  at  great  expense,  unless 
aided  by  scientific  research.  The  makers  of  leather  are  destined 
to  witness  more  radical  changes  in  styles  than  now  exist,  and  those 
of  courage  and  enterprise  will  lead  the  van  in  the  race  for  suprem- 
acy. There  will  always  be  found  plenty  of  followers  after  the 
object  has  been  accomplished,  who  are  ready,  by  fair  means  or  foul, 
to  reap  the  benefit  of  their  neighbor's  experience. 

The  largest  tanners  in  Chicago,  who,  but  a  few  years  since, 
confined  their  output  to  wax  upper,  have  been  almost  exclusively 
engaged  in  making  waxed  calf  and  kip  skins,  their  combined  out- 
put being  from  20,000  to  25,000  skins  weekly.  In  many  respects 
these  skins  are  superior  to  the  French,  and  have  been  the  means  of 
reducing  the  importations  of  French  skins  from  $15,000,000  a  few 
years  ago,  to  about  $1,000,000  at  the  present  time.  Not  to  be 
behind  in  the  race,  these  tanners,  and  others  similarly 
engaged,  find  that  the  more  recent  brands  of  imitation  calf,  made 
from  veal  kips  and  cowhides,  as  also  oil  shoe  grains,  promise 
to  displace  the  use  of  calfskins  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  and  have 
therefore  turned  their  attention  to  the  manufacture  of  these  popular 
lines  of  shoe  stock.  To  the  Western  tanners  belong  the  credit  of 
being  the  first  to  originate  and  perfect  the  tannage  and  finish  of  oil 
shoe  grain  and  imitation  calf,  the  latter  better  known  to  the  trade 
as  glove  grain,  but  of  far  superior  tannage,  finish  and  wearing 
properties,  than  the  original  glove  grain. 

The  Eastern  tanners  who  have  continued  making  the  old  style 
of  wax  upper  and  buff  leather,  have  witnessed  their  trade  dropping 
out  of  sight  yearly,  and  are  asking  the  question  :  * '  What  shall  we 
do  ?  "  To  continue  in  the  same  old  groove  will  eventually  result  in 
loss  of  trade  and  capital,  which  has  been  the  bitter  experience  of 


ABREAST  WITH  THE  TIMES.  163 

many  tanners  during  the  past  few  years.  By  not  adopting  the  old 
truism:  "Nothing  ventured,  nothing  gained,"  they  continue  to 
stick  to  old-time  principles,  or  close  up  their  tanneries  in  disgust. 
Many  have  already  been  closed,  and  more  will  surely  follow,  un- 
less those  tanners  keep  abreast  with  the  times  and  reach  out  for 

future  trade.  

SOMETHING  ABOUT  WARBLES. 

There  are  320,000  species  of  insects  in  the  world,  says  the 
Scottish  Leather  Trader,  and  the  individuals  belonging  to  each 
species  are  as  the  sand  upon  the  sea  shore,  without  number,  so  that 
it  is  not  at  all  extraordinary  that  we  come  across  a  stupid  insectile 
now  and  then  without  a  grain  of  sense  in  its  little  noddle  ;  but  the 
stupidest  we  ever  came  across  in  all  our  rambles  is  the  female  ox 
bot,  accused  of  laying  her  eggs  under  the  skin  of  cattle,  and  pro- 
ducing in  Britain  a  "warble"  and  in  America  a  "grub,"  that 
makes  the  cattle  mad  and  the  tanner  angry.  The  eggs  are  left  to 
hatch  themselves  out,  taking  fully  ten  months  in  some  countries 
on  the  job,  and  then  the  larva  is  supposed  to  push  itself  stem  fore- 
most through  the  hide,  jump  to  the  ground,  and  hide  itself  in  the 
earth  for  a  few  months  more  before  it  begins  to  torment  perhaps 
the  very  ox  that  carried  its  nest. 

This  is  the  lady — this  is  the  "  She  who  must  be  a  jade,"  the 
little  fly  with  brown  wings,  white  face,  black  thorax,  black  band 
around  her  yellow  middle,  and  black  legs  and  red  feet,  that  tor- 
ments the  ox  and  the  cow  in  the  month  of  June,  laying  eggs  with 
her  patent  four-tube  retractile  ovipositor — Miss  Ormerod  says  below 
the  skin,  to  eat  their  way  out ;  Sir  John  Lubbock  says  among  the 
hair,  to  eat  their  way  in  ;  and  White,  of  Selbome,  says  perhaps 
she  deposits  her  eggs  both  inside  and  outside.  White  is  quite 
right ;  perhaps  she  does  ;  at  all  events,  this  is  a  picture  of  the  in- 
significant hypoderma  bovis  that  spoils  hides  every  year  to  the  full 
value  of  two  million  pounds  sterling.  At  least  this  is  the  dipteral 
smoothbore  that  gets  all  the  blame. 

We  have  a  theory  of  our  own  about  the  warbles,  and  believe 
the  beautiful  little  fly  presented  above  is  entirely  innocent.  We 
believe  the  warbles  are  the  product  of  parasite  life,  the  result  of 
fermentation  in  the  blood,  developing  minute  organisms  that  strug- 
gle into  existence  and  shape.  But  every  living  thing  proceeds 
from  a  pre-existing  parent !  Well,  we  don't  say  no,  and  yet  we  do 
not  believe  that  the  oestrus  bovis  is  the  parent  of  the  warble ;  neither 


164  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

can  we  tell  whether  the  egg  or  the  fly  came  first  in  the  order  of 
existence.  The  so-called  warble  is  neither  larva  nor  chrysalis.  It 
is  a  perfect  animal  in  itself ;  it  breathes,  it  moves,  it  eats,  it  digests, 
it  multiplies  ;  but  it  must  be  nameless  until  science  discovers  its 
proper  title.  A  warble  is  a  small,  hard  tumor  on  the  back  of 
horses,  caused  by  the  heat  of  the  saddle,  or  a  small  tumor  on  the 
bodies  of  catttle  caused  by  supposed  larva,  so  that  we  have  hitherto 
called  this  thing  after  its  house. 


This  is  the  so-called  warble — two  portraits  of  it — and  no  one 
ever  saw  it  take  off  its  gummy  coat  and  put  on  wings.  Miss  Or- 
merod  says  she  pressed  out  of  their  snug  little  holes  nine  ' '  mag- 
gots. ' '  They  were  from  three-quarters  inch  to  one  inch  long,  from 
two-fifths  inch  to  a  little  more  than  one-half  inch  in  width,  and 
were  slightly  less  in  depth.  They  were  of  an  oval  shape,  and 
blunter  at  the  mouth  end  than  the  other,  and  varied  in  color  from 
pale  yellow  to  black.  They  kept  up  a  regular  contraction  and  ex- 
pansion as  they  lay  on  the  table,  and  moved  their  mouth  end  from 
side  to  side  in  all  directions.  The  breathing  spiracles  at  the  hole 
of  the  warble  were  noticeable  as  two  black  spots.  Their  bodies  had 
from  nine  to  ten  rings  going  right  round  about  them.  The  skin  was 
of  a  tough,  leathery,  elastic  character,  and  had  a  number  of  patches 
of  minute  prickles  on  it.  The  under  surface  of  the  body  was 
slightly  flattened,  and  the  skin  had  a  wrinkled  appearance.  "I  put 
these  maggots  in  some  soil  in  a  pot,  covering  them  to  the  depth  of 
one  inch,  stretching  some  muslin  over  the  top.  The  next  day  they 
had  wriggled  their  way  to  the  surface  of  the  soil.  Some  of  them 
died,  but  by  keeping  the  soil  moist  the  remainder  kept  alive.  In  a 
few  days  their  skins  became  quite  hard  and  stiff,  and  turned  quiet 
black  in  color.  All  of  them  afterwards  died  and  moulded  except 
one,  which  I  opened  on  June  19th,  and  found  it  partly  filled  with 
a  clear  liquid.  In  this  liquid  was  a  whitish  semi-solid  substance 
in  the  shape  of  an  insect.  The  top  of  the  chrysalis  came  off  like 
a  lid." 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  165 

Just  SO,  Miss  Ormerod  !  In  trying  to  raise  a  fly  you  destroyed 
a  flower  perhaps,  and  we  wager  you  a  diamond  necklace  that  you 
cannot  produce  to  us  a  full  perfect  bot  in  good  working  order  that 
you  have  brought  up  from  a  maggot  that  has  been  taken  out,  or 
has  jumped  out  of  the  skin  of  an  ox  or  cow. 

Whenever  cattle  are  deprived  of  green  food  their  blood  ferments 
and  germinates  a  kind  of  infusoria  that  find  themselves  living  in 
solid  fat,  soon  put  on  a  definite  form,  and  strive  to  participate  in 
the  good  things  of  this  earth.  Notice  that  on  cattle  living  between 
the  parallel  lines  of  latitude  forty  and  sixty  north  and  south  ' '  war- 
bles "  are  active  from  November  to  April,  between  thirty  and  forty 
they  come  in  December  and  leave  in  February  ;  and  twenty  degrees 
on  each  side  of  the  equator,  where  we  have  perpetual  summer,  and 
green  grass  all  the  year  round,  they  never  make  their  appearance 
at  all. 

In  the  August  number  of  the  Leather  Trader  we  gave  a  very 
interesting  letter  about  this  matter  from  "J.  B. , "  a  gentleman  we 
know  that  ought  to  be  well  acquainted  with  the  subject,  for  he  sees 
them  every  day  almost,  and  he  wisely  suggests  that  tobacco  juice 
would  kill  the  germs  and  decrease  the  number  of  skirmishers  next 
season.  This  is  very  good.  If  it  is  a  fly  we  are  fighting,  the  to- 
bacco would  certainly  stifle  the  young  rogue,  and  prevent  any  mis- 
chief from  him ;  but  if  it  is  a  disease,  a  course  of  medicine  between 
seasons  is  the  only  and  the  proper  remedy.  Even  if  you  suffocate 
your  maggot  the  hole  is  still  there,  and  the  tanner  is  no  better  off, 
t>ut  medicine  will  prevent  even  the  hole  in  the  hide. 


IMITATION  OF  KANGAROO. 

The  imitation  of  kangaroo  kid  made  from  horsehides  and  calf- 
skins, is  destined  to  greatly  displace  the  use  of  the  genuine  kan- 
garoo skin  on  account  of  the  scarcity  and  high  prices  demanded  for 
this  class  of  stock.  It  was  the  same  with  goatskins  before  imitation 
goat,  as  made  from  cowhides,  was  very  generally  introduced  as  a 
substitute.  Or  even  later,  when  cowhides  were  utilized  in  making 
what  is  now  known  as  imitation  calf  or  glove  grain.  The  skin  of 
the  kangaroo  has  the  toughest  fiber,  considering  its  substance,  of 
any  of  the  animal  species  yet  introduced  for  fine  shoe  leather.  It 
is  also  very  pliant  and  durable,  but  the  high  ruling  price,  40  cents 
per  foot  for  the  choice  grades,  has  prevented  others  than  custom 
shoemakers  from  employing  it.     Consequently,  owing  to  the  great 


166  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

popularity  of  this  stock,  there  has  been  much  experimenting  with 
goat,  calf  and  horsehides  in  the  endeavor  to  produce  a  substitute 
for  the  kangaroo,  but  only  in  the  two  latter  classes  of  skins  have 
the  experiments  made  been  fairly  successful.  The  natural  figure 
of  the  goat  has  been  the  chief  obstacle  in  the  way  of  imitating 
the  kangaroo.  Very  good  imitations  have  been  made  from  horse- 
hides  after  the  butt,  or  shell  portion,  has  been  cut  off  for  cordovan 
purposes.  This  makes  a  very  tough  and  elastic  leather  which 
favorably  compares  with  the  kangaroo,  but  the  extremely  thin 
flanks  and  shoulders  are  objectionable,  although  this  product  can 
be  made  at  about  one-third  the  cost  of  the  genuine  kangaroo.  The 
low  ruling  prices  of  green-cured  calfskins  have  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  tanners,  or  more  properly,  morocco  manufacturers,  to  these 
as  a  substitute  for  kangaroo,  and  some  very  creditable  stock  has 
been  put  on  the  maket  and  the  comparatively  low  prices  at  which 
it  is  sold,  say  from  twelve  to  seventeen  cents  per  foot,  it  will,  with- 
out doubt,  be  quite  extensively  used  by  large  manufacturers  of 
fine  shoes,  and  sold  as  kangaroo  calf  leather.  For  this  work  the 
lighter  skins  are  used,  such  as  ' '  deacons, ' '  and  spready  calf,  which 
range  in  prices  from  thirty  to  forty  cents  per  skin.  One  great  ad- 
vantage in  employing  calfskins  foi  this  work  is  that  they  are  prac- 
tically free  from  scratches  or  abrasions  of  any  sort,  and  when  scien- 
tifically taken  off  the  animal  every  portion  of  the  skin  can  be  util- 
ized in  the  cutting  of  shoe  vamps  and  toppings,  and  at  prices 
commensurate  with  that  of  oil  shoe  grains,  imitation  goat,  and 
calf,  as  made  from  cowhides. 

The  tannage  and  finish  of  kangaroo  calf  leather  is  supposed  to 
be  a  trade  secret,  but  does  not  differ  materially  from  the  dongola 
kid  tannage  and  finish,  or  that  employed  in  the  genuine  kangaroo 
leather.  The  skins  are  worked  in  the  beam-house  in  the  usual 
manner,  but  I  would  advise  using  the  sulphide  of  sodium  process 
to  that  of  lime  and  chicken  manure,  as  plumper  flanks,  a  thicker 
grain,  and  a  more  compact  fiber  can  be  produced,  which  will 
greatly  aid  in  securing  the  desired  break  or  fine  figure,  characteris- 
tic of  the  genuine  kangaroo  when  finished.  The  principal  tanning 
agent  is  gambler,  which  imparts  the  desired  color  and  toughness 
of  fiber,  but  to  combine  with  those  a  close  grain  and  fine  flanks,  I 
would  advise  using  one  part  of  hemlock  bark  liquor  to  two  parts 
of  gambier.  Bark  extracts  may  be  substituted  for  crude  bark,  with 
equally  good  results,  during  the  first  stages,  but  not  of  too  great 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  167 


density  until  the  skins  are  fairly  "struck."  I  would  also  advise 
suspending  the  skins  in  the  pits  by  connecting  the  tail  and  two 
hind  shanks  to  sticks.  Then  hang  them  in  the  pits  head  and 
shoulders  downwards,  with  a  bountiful  supply  of  liquor  over  the 
sticks.  By  this  method,  the  shoulders  and  flanks  will  be  fuller  and 
finer,  and  will  greatly  lessen  the  time  in  tanning.  Change  the 
liquors  and  skins  frequently,  and  in  two  weeks'  time  they  should 
be  in  good  condition  to  shave,  and  where  the  thick  joles  have  been 
taken  off"  in  the  beam-house  the  skins  need  not  go  back  to  the  tan- 
nery  after  shaving.  Should  any  of  the  skins  be  too  plump  on  the 
kidney  portion,  after  shaving,  run  them  through  the  machine  and 
take  off"  a  skiff^,  so  that  the  entire  skin  may  be  fairlj^  uniform  in 
substance. 

RE-TANNING   AND   SCOURING. 

For  re-tanning  put  into  the  drum-wheel,  similar  to  the  stuflSng- 
wheel,  seventy-five  skins  and  three  pails  full  of  strong  gambier 
liquor,  and  three-fourths  pail  of  dr>^  American  sumac,  together  with 
what  warm  water  will  be  necessary  to  fully  saturate  the  sumac 
and  skins,  and  run  the  wheel  for  half  an  hour.  Pack  them  in  pile 
for  twenty-four  hours  before  scouring.  Scour  by  hand,  or  machine, 
with  stone  tool  and  from  out  a  bath  of  clear  warm  water,  and  on 
the  grain  side  only.  Remove  all  traces  of  the  old  grain,  wash  off" 
and  go  over  with  the  steel  slicker,  then  oil  lightly  on  the  grain 
with  cod  and  paraffine  oil,  equal  parts,  and  hang  them  up  to 
"sammie." 

STUFFING. 

When  preparing  the  skins  for  stuffing  see  that  they  are  uni- 
formly dampened  so  that  water,  by  a  gentle  pressure,  will  ooze 
from  the  pores,  and  let  them  lay  in  a  snug  pile  for  twenty-four 
hours  before  stuffing,  when  the  skins  will  have  become  ripe  and  in 
good  condition  to  receive  the  grease.  For  this  style  of  finish  it  is 
not  advisable  to  produce  the  same  luster  that  is  given  to  dongola 
kid  or  imitation  goat.  It  is  what  is  called  a  "  half  bright  "  or  a 
lusterless  finish,  as  desired,  but  should  a  high  finish,  such  as  pro- 
duced by  the  polishing  jack,  be  required,  the  stuffing-in  wheel 
would  have  to  be  abolished  and  only  oils  used  in  the  setting,  as 
with  imitation  goat  or  kid  stock.  But  a  more  desirable  quality  of 
kangaroo  calf  leather  can  be  produced  by  stuffing  the  skins  with 
heavy  greases,  which  will  also  make  them  practically  water-proof 
and  obviate  the  "  piping  "  up  of  the  grain  when  finished. 


168  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


When  the  skins  are  in  the  sammied  condition,  weigh  them  up 
into  batches  of  300  pounds  each,  providing  the  stuffing  wheel  is  of 
sufficient  capacity  for  that  amount,  and  for  every  100  pounds  of  so 
prepared  leather  put  into  the  wheel  fifty  pounds  of  grease  of  the 
following  nature  and  proportions  :  Take  currier's  stuffing  grease 
— that  made  from  tanner's  waste,  or  in  lieu  thereof  tallow  stearine 
— seventy  per  cent,  and  English  degras,  thirty  per  cent.  Mix  in 
a  steam  jacket  kettle  and  heat  to  a  temperature  of  140  degrees  F., 
also  the  wheel  to  about  the  same  temperature,  and  when  the  con- 
densed steam  is  drawn  off  from  the  wheel,  put  therein  the  batch  of 
skins — 300  pounds — and  1 50  pounds  of  the  combined  greases,  and 
run  the  wheel  for  thirty  minutes.  Then  throw  off  the  belt  and 
open  the  door  and  run  again  for  a  few  moments  to  cool  off  the 
skins. 

Much  depends  on  the  preparation  of  the  skins  in  the  beam- 
house  and  the  nature  of  the  tannage  as  to  the  amount  of  grease  re- 
quired in  stuffing.  Therefore  I  would  advise  making  some  exper- 
iments and  note  the  results  before  stuffing  a  large  number.  It  is 
not  advisable  to  stuff  them  too  heavy  for  this  work,  as  it  will  be 
necessary  to  give  them  a  dressing  of  oil  in  the  finishing.  The 
amount  of  grease  given  above  should  be  readily  absorbed  during 
the  process,  and  should  they  be  •'  hungry  "  or  not  fairly  filled  in 
pores  and  cells,  increase  the  amount  of  greases  so  that  when  set  out 
and  dried  the  skins  will  have  a  rich  and  cheesy  feeling  without 
being  discolored. 

SETTING  AND   DRYING. 

When  the  skins  are  fairly  cool  set  them  firmly  on  the  grain 
side  with  stone  and  slicker.  This  is  important  work.  If  done  by 
hand  the  skin  should  be  first  placed  on  the  table,  butt  to  the 
right  and  the  back  strip  running  along  the  front  edge  of  the  table 
or  only  one-half  of  the  skin  upon  the  table  at  a  time,  and  when 
that  portion  is  thoroughly  set  in  body  and  flanks  reverse  the  skin 
by  bringing  the  butt  to  the  left  and  complete  the  setting.  Then 
hang  up  on  the  racks  from  the  two  hind  shanks  to  dry.  Dry 
slowly  in  a  dark  room  at  a  temperature  not  exceeding  seventy  de- 
grees Fahr. 

FINISHING. 

The  first  operation  will  be  the  blacking  of  the  skins  after  hav- 
ing been  well  dried  out  after  the  setting.  The  sig  or  logwood  is 
prepared  in  the  usual  way  for  most  grain  blacking.     The  blacking 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  169 


is  made  as  follows  :     Take  nine  pounds   of  copperas,    one-fourth 
pound  of  epsom  salts,  six  ounces  of  ascetic  acid  and  one  ounce  of 
nutgalls.     Mix  and  thoroughly  dissolve  with  steam  pipes  in  a  pail 
of  hot  water.  Put  into  a  barrel  and  add  forty  gallons  of  soft  water, 
condensed  steam  preferred,   and   it   is  ready   for  immediate   use. 
When  blacked,  hang  up  the  skins  for  a  few  moments  to  temper, 
then  take  them  to  the  glassing  table  and  give  them  a  good,    firm 
glassing  until  the  fiber  and  tanned  gelatine  is  well  cemented  to- 
gether, then  hang  the  skins  up  to  dry.     When  fully  dry  trim  off 
all  ragged  edges.     The  skins  at  this  stage  will  be  naturally  firm 
and  will  have  to  be  submitted  to  either  the  staking  process  or  of 
soft  boarding.     A  machine  has  been  recently  invented  called  the 
Barker  staking  anc',  pertching  machine,  which,  it  is  claimed,  is  su- 
perior to  hand  work  for  solcening  all  kinds  of  leather.     When  the 
skins  have  been  relieved  o.  :heir  tinny  feeling  through  any  of  the 
above  agents  it  will  be  necessary  to  give  them  their  final  dressing, 
viz.,  blacking  and  beef  blood.     The  former  is   made   as  follows: 
Take  eight  ounces  of  extract  of  logwood,  one  ounce  of  bichromate 
of  potassia  and  two  ounces  of  prussiate  of  potassia.     Dissolve   in 
eight  quarts  of  soft  water  and  when  cool  mix  with  beef  blood  in 
such  proportions  as  to  produce  the  desired  brightness  of  finish.     If 
not  too  bright  take,  say,  two  parts  of  the  dressing  to  one  of  blood 
and  mix  thoroughly.     Then  apply  to  the  grain  of  the  skins  with  a 
soft  sponge,  rubbing  it  well; into  the  pores.     Should  a  lusterless  or 
higher  finish  be  desired  it  may  be  had  by  either  reducing  or  in- 
creasing the  amount  of  the  beef  blood.     Hang  up  to  dry  and  after- 
wards give  the  skins  a  fair  dressing  of  cod  and  paraflSne  oil  of 
equal  parts,  upon  the  black  side,   and  pack  them  black  to  black 
until  the  skins  have  absorbed  the  oil,  when  they  are  ready  for  the 
assorting  and  classifying. 

SKINNING  AND  CURING  VEAL  SKINS. 

BY  CARROLL  S.  PAGE,  HYDE  PARK,  VT. 

"A  Few  Minutes'  Talk  With  Butchers  Upon  the  Subject  o^ 
Taking  Off  and  Curing  Vealskins  "  is  the  title  of  a  very  instruc- 
tive and  interesting  little  book  that  is  being  sent  freely  to  all  who 
desire  it  by  Mr.  Carroll  S.  Page,  the  well-known  calfskin  dealer. 
Mr.  Page  has  a  pleasant  way  of  giving  advice  that  appeals  directly 
to  all  sensible  men.  Butchers  in  the  country,  through  ignorance 
or  carelessness,  frequently  rob  themselves  by  the  manner  in  which 


170  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

they  damage  the  hides  and  skins  they  take  off.  It  is  just  as  easy 
to  take  a  skin  off  well  as  it  is  to  cut  and  score  it.  Many  butchers 
do  not  know  how  to  skin  a  calf  scientifically,  although  this  is  not 
diflScult  when  properly  explained.  "We  have  pleasure  in  printing 
Mr.  Page's  remarks  and  heartily  recommending  all  interested  to 
secure  for  themselves  a  copy  of  this  valuable  little  book,  which 
reads  as  follows  : 

page's  method  of  taking  off  and  curing  vealskins. 

I.  Sticking. — The  chief  end  in  view  in  sticking  a  calf  is,  first, 
to  so  cut  the  jugular  veins  that  the  animal  will  be  well  bled.  This 
should  be  well  done,  not  only  because  the  carcass  or  meat  will  be 
thereby  made  of  more  value,  but  because  if  not  properly  done  the 
blood  may  cause  a  discoloration  of  the  skin. 

Secondly,  the  knife  should  be  so  handled  that  the  incision  in 
the  skin  be  lengthwise  rather  than  crosswise  of  the  throat.  The 
cheek  of  the  skin  is  of  some  value  if  the  throat  is  not  cut  cross- 
wise, but  if  the  crosscut  on  either  side  of  the  lengthwise  rip  ex- 
tends an  inch  into  the  skin  it  renders  the  cheek  valueless  except 
for  glue  stock.  A  butcher  who  thoroughly  understands  the  ana- 
tomy of  the  animal  will  stick  the  calf  by  inserting  the  knife  near 
the  brisket  and  with  one  thrust  sever  the  jugular  veins,  which 
cross  each  other  at  this  point.  A  less  expert  butcher  will,  doubt- 
less, find  it  the  better  way  to  make  a  slit  lengthwise  of  the  throat 
eight  or  ten  inches  long,  then  skin  the  throat  a  little  on  each  side 
of  the  slit  so  that  the  edge  of  the  skin  may  with  the  fingers  beheld 
away  from  the  neck  while  the  throat  is  cut  in  the  ordinary  manner. 

After  the  calf  has  been  strung  up,  many  good  butchers  stroke 
down  the  sides  of  the  calf  so  that  the  blood,  which  otherwise  might 
settle  under  the  membrane  of  the  skin  and  give  it  a  reddish  or 
blood-stained  appearance  may  be  carried  off  through  the  veins. 
This  takes  but  a  moment  and  gives  the  skin  a  clear,  clean,  healthy 
complexion,  while  if  the  blood  is  allowed  to  settle  under  the  mem- 
brane, as  it  will  where  the  calf  is  improperly  or  imperfectly  bled, 
the  salt  used  in  curing  does  not  penetrate  the  pores  of  the  skin,  as 
the  blood  thickens  or  dries  so  quickly  and  to  such  an  extent  that 
it  acts  as  a  water-proof  protector  through  which  the  salt  does  not 
readily  penetrate.  The  result  is  that  the  skin  is  not  properly  cured 
and  if  carried  a  few  weeks  in  hot  weather  in  this  condition  it  will 
neither  make  as  much  nor  as  good  leather  as  those  which  are  free 
from  blood. 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  171 

2.  Ripping. — The  next  process  is  that  of  ripping,  unless  the 
second  method  named  in  section  five  of  these  directions  is  followed, 
in  which  case  the  ripping  succeeds  that  particular  part  of  the 
skinning  process  which  is  given  in  that  section.  Perhaps  all  that 
can  be  said  touching  this  feature  of  the  skinning  process  is  that  the 
slit  should  be  made  from  the  middle  of  the  under  jaw — being  care- 
ful to  run  the  knife  exactly  over  the  top  or  center  of  the  brisket 
bone — in  a  straight  line  through  the  center  of  the  belly,  between 
the  teats  down  to,  and  even  an  inch  or  two  down  upon  the  roots  of 
the  tail. 

3.  Skinning  the;  I,egs. — This  is  a  process  which  very  few 
butchers  comprehend  the  importance  of.  Upon  it  and  the  ripping 
depends  the  shape,  or  '  *  pattern, ' '  as  the  shoe  men  term  it,  of  the 
skin.  A  piece  of  calfskin  is  worth  seventy  cents  per  pound  in  its 
finished  state,  if  of  choice  tannage  and  absolutely  perfect.  If  the 
ripping  and  skinning  of  the  legs  is  improperly  done,  the  value  of 
the  finished  skin  may  be  easily  lessened  ten  cents  per  pound,  and 
the  average  weight  is  perhaps  three  pounds.  The  average  loss, 
therefore,  by  reason  of  this  defect,  may  be  thirty  cents  per  skin. 
Always  bear  in  mind  that  it  costs  just  as  much  to  tan  a  disfigured, 
misshapen,  or  poor  pattern  skin,  as  it  does  one  that  is  perfect ;  and 
if  the  skin  is  worth  thirty  cents  less  after  it  is  finished  by  reason  of 
disfiguration  caused  by  improperly  slitting  the  leg,  the  thirty  cents 
damage  must  of  necessity  be  the  measure  of  difference  between  a 
good  shaped  and  poor  shaped  green  skin ;  so  do  not  forget  that  it 
is  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  lessen  the  value  of  your  skin  in 
this  way  by  thirty  cents,  a  loss  which  might  be  easily  saved  by 
devoting  thirty  seconds  more  time  to  the  process  of  ripping  the 
legs.     The  correct  way  is  as  follows : 

Grasp  the  fore  foot  in  the  left  hand,  cut  around  the  leg  just 
above  the  dew-claws,  take  a  short  step  back  toward  the  tail  so  as  to 
straighten  the  leg,  and,  drawing  it  a  little  away  from  the  body, 
insert  the  knife  at  that  point  of  the  skin  where  the  hoof  is  split,  on 
the  front  or  forward  side  of  the  foot.  Now  comes  the  particular 
part  of  this  process,  for  upon  the  next  movement  of  the  knife  de- 
pends the  shape  of  the  skin.  Run  the  knife  directly  over  the  knee 
so  as  to  split  it  exactly  in  the  center,  avoiding  any  side  cuts  or 
scallops,  and  extend  the  rip  or  slit  to  the  top  or  center  of  the  bris- 
ket bone.  Serve  the  other  fore  leg,  of  course,  in  the  same  manner. 
Then  grasp  the  hind  foot  in  the  left  hand  and  cut  around  next  to 


172  I.EATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


the  dew-claws.  Step  back  towards  the  head  and  a  little  away 
from  the  body  of  the  calf  so  as  to  straighten  out  the  leg.  Insert 
the  knife  in  the  back  side  of  the  leg  between  the  dew-claws,  and 
run  it  down  on  the  back  side  directly  over  the  gambrel.  Then 
follow  the  line  marked  by  the  parting  of  the  hair  so  that  the  slit 
runs  where  the  hair  parts,  or  where,  perhaps,  it  may  more  properly 
be  said  to  meet,  the  hair  on  the  legs  and  butt  growing  towards  the 
belly,  and  that  on  the  belly  growing  towards  the  legs  and  butt. 
This  line  of  demarkation  can  usually  be  seen  quite  plainly.  If 
these  directions  are  followed  the  knife  will  strike  the  belly  about 
half  way  between  the  bag  or  teats  and  the  root  of  the  tail. 

If  these  directions  are  carefully  followed,  the  skin  is  made  of 
good  pattern,  i.  e.,  wide  and  uniform,  without  being  either  too  nar- 
row or  too  full  just  in  front  of  the  hind  leg  and  just  back  of  the 
fore  leg,  as  will  certainly  be  the  case  if  the  leg  is  improperly  ripped. 
It  is  very  easy  to  take  a  part  of  the  skin  from  the  flank  just  back 
of  the  fore  leg,  giving  the  skin  a  gouged-out,  narrow- waisted  appear- 
ance at  that  point,  and  leave  it,  i.  e. ,  the  part  that  is  so  taken  out^ 
in  front  of  the  leg,  thereby  widening  the  neck  to  an  abnormal 
width.  So,  too,  that  part  of  the  skin  which  would  properly  be 
left  upon  the  butt,  may  appear,  when  the  calf  is  skinned,  in  front 
of  the  hind  leg,  giving  it  an  extra  fullness  of  flank  there,  or  it  may 
be  so  left  that  the  butt  is  unusually  full,  and  a  corresponding  nar- 
rowness in  front  of  the  hind  leg.  There  is  a  right  way  and  a  wrong 
way  to  leave  the  shape  of  the  skin,  and  the  shape  depends  largely, 
in  fact  almost  entirely,  upon  how  the  skin  is  ripped  from  the  dew- 
claws  to  the  belly.  Some  butchers  rip  the  leg  on  the  inside,  thus 
leaving  a  pocket  at  the  knee  or  gambrel  joint.  This  is  wrong,  for 
the  pocket  cannot  be  finished  into  good  leather.  The  leg  should 
be  so  ripped  that  the  knife  splits  this  pocket,  as  it  will  do  if  the 
slit  is  made  in  the  front  leg  over  the  knee,  and  in  the  hind  leg  over 
the  gambrel.     Never  slit  the  skin  on  the  inside  of  the  leg. 

The  legs  having  been  slit  as  above  directed,  skin  enough 
thereof  next  the  dew-claws  so  that  the  skin  can  be  taken  in  the 
hand  or  hands,  and,  placing  your  foot  upon  the  calf  s  foot,  strip 
the  leg  without  further  use  of  the  knife,  from  dew-claws  to  just 
above  the  knee  and  gambrel. 

It  is  presumed  in  these  directions  that  the  butcher  will  be  ex- 
peditious in  all  his  movements,  for  while  the  directions  will  hold 
good  in  nearly  every  case,  if  the  body  of  the  calf  is  warm,  it  is 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  173 

nevertheless  true  that  as  soon  as  it  is  cold  it  will  require  a  much 
greater  degree  of  strength  to  pull  or  fist  oflf  the  skin  than  it  will 
before  the  animal  heat  has  partially  or  wholly  left  the  carcass. 

4.  Skinning  the  Head. — We  understand  it  is  the  custom  of 
some  butchers  not  to  skin  their  calves'  heads.  Part  of  them  omit 
it  because  they  don't  think  it  pays,  when  they  are  in  a  hurry,  to 
save  the  skin  of  the  head.  Some  wish  to  save  the  head  with  the 
skin  on,  and  so  scald  it  and  remove  the  hair.  Of  course  in  such 
cases  the  head  isn't  skinned.  We  do  not  urge  upon  butcHers  any 
particular  couise,  although  we  believe  the  value  of  the  skin  of  the 
head  is  more  than  enough  to  pay  for  the  expense  of  skinning,  and 
so  generally  recommend  that  it  be  taken  off  unless  the  butcher  is 
short  of  time.  This  advice,  however,  is  given  with  a  big  if,  for  if 
the  throat  is  cut  in  the  least  crosswise  it  does  not  pay  to  skin  the 
head.  It  is  only  when  the  cheek  can  be  saved,  as  it  can  be  if  the 
above  directions  in  regard  to  sticking  the  calf  are  closely  followed, 
that  the  skin  of  the  head  is  of  sufficient  value  to  pay  for  skinning. 
If,  however,  the  butcher  decides  to  skin  the  head,  this  process  is 
next  in  order  after  the  legs  are  skinned. 

Care  is  not  as  necessary  in  .skinning  the  head  as  it  is  in  skin- 
ning the  other  parts  of  the  calf,  of  course.  The  head  may  be 
skinned  with  a  knife  in  the  ordinary  way  to  a  point  about  four  to 
seven  inches  back  of  the  ear.  Slight  scores  with  knife  are  allow- 
able on  the  head  and  neck  even  in  the  best  qualities  of  skins. 

5.  Skinning  the  Body  op  the  Calf. — First  Method. — The 
skinning  of  the  body  is  of  course  the  feature  of  the  calf  skinning 
process  upon  which  butchers  most  differ,  and  we  give — out  of  the 
great  variety  received  from  butchers  in  answer  to  our  $50  offer — 
the  two  methods  which  we  think  the  best  and  most  practicable. 

First. — The  carcass  having  been  hung  up  and  all  the  prelim- 
inary work  as  described  in  the  foregoing  sections  having  been  fully 
completed,  viz  :  the  legs  partially  skinned,  the  head  skinned,  the 
legs  and  body  slit  or  ripped  open,  commence  at  the  center  and 
skin  enough  on  the  left  side  so  that  the  skin  can  be  grasped  in  the 
left  hand.  Then  with  the  right  hand — some  prefer  to  first  cover  it 
with  a  napkin  or  towel — commence  the  fisting-off  process. 

If  the  skin  separates  easily  from  the  carcass,  as  it  usually  will 
at  most  points,  no  instrument  is  necessary.  If,  however,  it  ad- 
heres too  closely  to  the  meat,  take  a  piece  of  hard  pine  about  eight 
inches  long,  and  from  an  inch  to  two  inches  wide,  with  the  ends 


174  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

rounded  in  circular  shape  about  like  an  ordinary  table  knife  ;  and 
at  the  places  where  the  skin  adheres  to  the  meat  use  this  wooden 
implement  in  the  place  of  the  knife,  holding  the  skin  with  one 
hand,  and  with  this  wooden  knife  in  the  other  making  downward 
strokes  as  you  would  were  you  skinning  a  beef  with  an  ordinary 
knife.  Be  persistent  in  the  use  of  the  wooden  knife  rather  than 
use  one  with  a  steel  blade,  even  though  it  may  require  a  little 
more  time,  and  possibly  a  little  more  muscle  ;  and  when  the  skin 
is  off  you  will  find  that  whereas  the  steel  knife  would  have  injured 
the  skin  more  or  less — quire  too  often  it  is  more  rather  than  less — 
the  wooden  instrument  will  neither  score,  hack,  nor  in  any  way  in- 
jure the  skin,  but  will  leave  it  free  from  even  so  much  as  a  knife 
mark,  and,  being  so  flayed,  it  will  classify  as  "drawn  off"  stock. 

Perhaps  it  is  best  in  this  connection  to  say  that  even  the 
wooden  implement  should  not  be  shaved  down  so  as  to  give  it  a 
thin  edge,  although  it  should  be  somewhat  knife-shaped,  but  even 
at  the  sharpest  edge  it  should  be  fully  one -eighth  of  an  inch  in 
thickness.  This  wooden  knife  should  be  held  in  the  hand,  not  as 
a  knife  with  a  steel  blade  would  be  held,  by  the  handle,  but  by 
the  blade  itself.  That  part  of  it  which  corresponds  to  the  blade 
should  be  grasped  firmly,  and  with  the  thumb  projecting  forward 
nearly  to  the  point.  In  this  way  the  knife  rather  serves  to  protect 
the  thumb,  while  it,  the  thumb,  in  conjunction  with  the  wooden 
knife,  forms  the  implement  with  which  the  skin  is  severed  from 
the  meat.  Experienced  butchers  say  that  after  a  little  practice  a 
skin  can  be  taken  off  nearly  as  expeditiously  with  this  wooden  im- 
plement as  with  a  steel  blade. 

We  appeal  to  butchers  not  to  deceive  themselves  with  relerence 
to  the  difference  in  value  of  their  skins  when  taken  off  in  this  way 
as  compared  with  them  when  taken  off  with  the  butcher's  steel 
knife.  We  almost  despair  of  giving  advice  in  this  particular,  for 
we  have  heard  so  many  butchers,  in  their  egotism,  assert  that  they 
could  take  off  a  skin  with  a  knife  just  as  well  as  to  follow  any 
nonsensical  new-fangled  directions.  Permit  us  to  say  that  the  in- 
terests of  the  butchers  and  our  interests  are  identical.  We  confess 
to  great  selfishness  in  this  matter,  because  the  better  the  skin  the 
better  we  can  satisfy  the  butchers  by  the  returns  which  we  are  able 
to  make  ;  and  if  we  can  satisfy  our  butcher  customers  we  can  hold 
their  trade.  So  let  us  urge,  even  at  the  expense  of  repeating  what 
we  have  so  many  times  said,  that  the  classification  of  calfskins  is  so 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  175 

close  today  that  we  are  able  to  get  a  fancy  price — at  least  one  cent 
per  pound  more — for  skins  which  we  can  guarantee  to  be  "  drawn 
or  ' '  fisted  off, ' '  and  to  be  absolutely  free  from  any  knife-marks 
whatever,  excepting  of  course  on  head,  neck,  and  at  the  starting 
points  in  the  center  of  the  belly. 

But  little  more  need  be  said.  Of  course  the  other  side  is 
skinned  in  the  same  way.  Some  butchers  say  that  having  skinned 
well  down  the  center  of  the  back  on  each  side  of  the  calf,  as  you 
stand  facing  it,  that  it  is  practicable  to  thrust  the  right  fist  entirely 
around  the  calf,  and,  seizing  it  with  the  left  hand,  with  one  strong 
upward  push  detach  it  from  the  carcass  so  far  as  the  hind  quarters 
are  concerned.  Be  this  as  it  may,  be  sure  not  to  use  a  steel  knife 
at  or  near  the  roots  of  the  tail.  Of  course  after  it  has  been  de- 
tached from  the  hind  quarters  it  is  usually  an  easy  task  to  grasp 
the  skin  with  both  hands  and  pull  it  off  from  the  forward  quarters 
without  any  further  use  of  the  knife.  If,  however,  it  does  happen 
to  stick  at  any  point,  we  beg  of  you  not  to  use  the  steel  knife,  but 
with  the  left  hand  grasp  the  skin  and  with  the  right  the  wooden 
implement  above  described,  and  patiently  work  off  the  skin,  and 
when  it  is  off  we  guarantee  that  you  have  saved,  from  an  outlay 
not  exceeding  five  or  ten  minutes  additional  time,  from  fifteen  to 
fifty  cents  in  the  value  of  the  skin  above  what  it  would  have  been 
worth  had  the  ordinary  steel  knife  been  used. 

Second  Method. — The  preliminary  of  ripping  or  slitting  having 
been  omitted,  the  calf  having  been  stuck  and  bled  and  the  head 
skinned,  all  as  per  directions  herein  before  given,  hang  up  the  car- 
cass, make  a  small  slit  near  the  center  of  the  belly  about  two 
inches  long.  Take  an  ordinary  steel  such  as  the  butcher  uses  in 
sharpening  his  knife,  insert  it  in  the  slit  and  push  it  in  to  the  hilt 
half  a  dozen  times  in  different  directions,  that  is,  upward,  down- 
ward, obliquely  to  the  right,  obliquely  to  the  left,  etc.  Withdraw 
the  steel,  place  the  lips — some  use  a  pair  of  old-fashioned  bellows, 
some  an  ordinary  syringe — where  the  incision  has  been  made  and 
with  a  few  sharp  puffs  fill  with  air  the  spaces  between  the  skin 
and  the  flesh  which  the  steel  has  made.  Grasp  the  skin  with  the 
left  hand  at  the  point  of  incision,  so  that  the  air  which  has  been 
blown  in  will  not  escape,  and  with  the  palm  or  flat  of  the  right 
hand  strike  a  few  blows  upon  the  belly  and  sides  of  the  calf.  If 
this  is  done  quickly  while  the  body  of  the  calf  is  yet  warm,  it  will 
cause  a  separation  of  the  skin  from  the  flesh  to  a  much  larger  ex- 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


tent  than  would  at  first  be  supposed.  Now  slit  or  rip  the  legs  pre- 
cisely as  directed  in  Section  three  and  slit  the  body  from  jaw  to 
tail  precisely  as  directed  in  Section  two  of  these  directions.  The 
work  of  fisting  off  or  skinning  with  the  wooden  knife,  as  described 
above,  is  then  proceeded  with  precisely  as  though  the  preliminary 
work  had  been  performed  as  in  the  first  method. 

Butchers  of  long  experience  assure  me  that  in  pursuing  this 
method  it  is  usually  the  case  that  the  entire  skin  is  easily  fisted  off 
without  the  use  of  any  knife  or  other  implement  whatever,  and  af- 
ter a  little  experience  the  skin  can  be  taken  off  in  this  way  very 
quickly.  They  also  tell  me  that  when  the  skin,  as  it  sometimes 
will,  adheres  with  considerable  tenacity  to  the  flesh  it  is  ordinarily 
but  the  work  of  a  moment  to  detach  it  by  the  following  method  : 
Grasp  the  skin  with  one  hand  and  the  wooden  knife  above  described 
with  the  other.  Then  with  the  ball  of  the  thumb  covering  or 
placed  flat  alongside  the  blade  and  well  down  towards  its  point  so 
that  there  is  no  leverage  against  the  wrist,  make  a  few  downward 
strokes  of  the  knife  and  thumb,  as  with  a  steel  knife,  and  the  work 
is  done. 

The  temptation  is  often  strong  to  use  the  steel  knife  just  a  little. 
Don't  do  it.  It  marks  the  skin,  and  even  if  it  does  not  injure  it  a 
particle  in  fact,  we  cannot  sell  it  as  "drawn-off"  stock  if  it  is 
knife-marked,  or  if  there  are  any  signs  of  the  knife  on  the  body  of 
the  skin.  The  presumption  seems  unquestionable  that  if  knife- 
marks  can  be  discovered  at  all,  the  skin  has  probably  been  taken 
off  with  a  knife,  with  the  necessary  liability,  of  course,  of  having 
possible  incisions  that  cannot  be  seen  until  the  skin  has  been 
fleshed  upon  the  tanner's  beam. 

6.  Curing. — Never  put  a  skin  in  pickle.  It  causes  it  to 
plump  nicely  at  first,  and  the  buyer  may  deceive  an  inexperienced 
person  on  stock  doctored  in  that  way,  but  it  is  only  necessary  to 
consult  an  old  tanner  to  ascertain  that  after  the  skin  is  taken  out  of 
the  brine  it  "  falls  away,"  that  is,  the  plumpness  disappears,  and 
the  skin  can  never  thereafter  be  brought  back  to  the  same  plump- 
ness again.  It  becomes  flat  and  continues  flat,  and,  when  made 
into  leather,  is  never  as  desirable  in  quality,  nor  will  it  make  as 
many  pounds  of  leather  from  the  same  number  of  pounds  of  stock 
as  can  be  made  from  skins  that  have  not  been  pickled.  Do  not 
allow  the  skin  to  drop  down  into  the  blood,  but  keep  it  as  clean  as 
is  practicable.     Blood  forms  a  water-proof  substance  which  often- 


VALUABI.E  INFORMATION.  177 

times  prevents  the  salt  from  penetrating  the  skin.  Do  not  allow 
the  sun  to  shine  upon  the  skin.  Do  not  throw  it  over  a  barrel, 
beam  or  pole.  Do  not  allow  it  to  touch  iron,  for  rust  is  fatal  to 
the  skin. 

So  much  in  the  line  of  don'ts.  Now  for  the  affirmative  side, 
to-wit,  what  to  do.  I^ay  the  skin,  as  soon  as  it  is  taken  off,  in 
some  cool  place  flat  upon  the  floor.  Sprinkle  it  thoroughly  with 
salt,  being  sure  that  every  spot  is  covered.  Be  liberal  with  the  use 
of  salt,  rubbing  it  into  the  skin  thoroughly,  either  with  the  hand  or 
with  an  old  brush.  Place  the  next  one  you  take  off"  upon  the  first 
one  and  serve  it  in  the  same  manner.  If  several  skins  are  taken 
off  by  the  butchers  in  the  same  day,  it  may  be  best  to  allow  them 
to  remain  exposed  to  the  air  for  a  half  hour  before  packing  in  salt, 
that  the  animal  heat  may  leave  the  skin,  but  in  no  case,  especially 
in  hot  weather,  should  the  skin  be  left  for  more  than  an  hour  before 
it  is  salted,  and  then  in  a  cool  place,  and  never  exposed  to  the  sun. 
Our  fancy  selections  of  skins  are  all  fleshed  over  a  tanner's  beam 
before  they  are  sent  to  the  tannery.  This  process  subjects  them 
to  something  of  a  strain,  and  if  the  skins  have  not  been  properly 
salted  as  soon  as  they  are  taken  off,  the  hair  will  start  in  the  beam- 
ing process.  If  it  starts  the  skin  will  have  to  pass  into  a  lower 
grade. 

After  the  skins  have  laid  in  pack  a  week  they  are  ready  to  ship, 
and  they  are  worth  more  to  me  when  they  are  shipped  fresh  than 
they  are  if  carried  in  salt  for  a  month  or  two.  The  carrying  may 
not  materially  injure  them  for  ordinary  wax  leather  or  "wax  calf- 
skin," as  skins  from  which  boots  and  shoes  are  made  are  usually 
termed,  but  skins  are  so  low  in  price  that  for  strictly  choice,  fancy 
selections,  we  are  oftentimes  able  to  get,  for  specialties  or  fancy  pur- 
poses, a  larger  price  than  we  can  get  from  the  tanner  of  ordinary 
boot  and  shoe  skins ;  but  to  get  this  fancy  price  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  that  we  have  the  stock  fresh.  We  therefore  urge  our 
buyers  to  bundle  up  their  skins  as  often  as  they  have  a  hun- 
dred or  two  hundred  pounds  and  forward  them  to  us.  If  they  will 
do  this,  and  take  them  ofl"  and  care  for  them  acccording  to  the  above 
directions,  we  promise  to  surprise  them  favorably  on  returns  there- 
for. 

I  received,  last  year,  from  a  butcher  living  in  Massachusetts, 
who  followed  substantially  my  above  directions  with  reference  to 
taking  ofl",  curing  and  shipping  his  stock,   a  letter,   in  which  he 


178  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

assured  me  that  his  skins  had  averaged  him  more  than  94)^  cents 
each,  while  the  best  price  he  had  been  able  to  obtain  in  Boston 
markets  for  good  skins  taken  ofif  in  the  ordinary  way,  and  of  same 
weight,  was  70  cents.  If  you  allow  your  skins  to  lie  long  in  the 
salt,  you  will  find  on  pulling  them  up  that  they  have  a  pinkish 
tinge.  This  discoloration,  however  slight,  is  evidence  that 
skins  have  laid  in  pack  so  long  that  they  are  not  fit  for  any  fancy 
purposes,  and  oftentimes  they  will  be  found  to  have  become  seri- 
ously injured  even  for  ordinary  tannages. 

When  you  shake  out  your  skins  for  shipment,  allow  a  little  salt 
to  adhere  to  the  flesh  of  the  skin,  especially  if  the  weather  is  quite 
warm  ;  and  in  tying  them  up  fold  in  the  edges  and  bundle  them 
with  the  hair  side  out,  putting  about  fifty  pounds  in  each  bundle, 
and  tying  thoroughly  with  good  cord. 


CODFISH  AND  TANNERS'  OII^. 
It  may  be  of  interest  to  consumers  of  cod  and  haddock,  when 
served  broiled,  fried,  or  made  into  a  luscious  chowder,  to  learn  to 
what  extent  the  livers  of  these  fish  are  used  for  medicinal  and 
commercial  purposes.  The  best  species  are  obtained  from  deep 
water  fishing,  or  those  taken  from  off  the  Banks  of  New  Found- 
land.  The  oil  varies  in  color  from  light  yellow  to  dark  brown. 
For  medicinal  purposes,  the  fresh  livers  are  immediately  utilized, 
as  the  oil  will  be  lighter  in  color  and  has  not  the  least  smell.  The 
oil  is  drained,  or  expressed,  from  the  livers,  and  clarified.  The 
grades  used  by  tanners  are  expressed  from  the  livers  by  being 
thrown  into  large  butts,  and  subjected  to  the  oscillating  motion  of 
the  vessel  while  engaged  in  fishing.  Cod,  pollock,  hake,  and  had- 
dock contribute  largely  to  this  enterprise.  As  the  fish  are  taken 
on  board,  they  are  split  open  from  tail  to  head  upon  the  belly  side ; 
the  livers  and  entrails  are  taken  out,  the  former  are  thrown  into 
the  butts,  and,  when  once  filled,  the  oil  thus  forced  out  rises  to  the 
top  and  is  skimmed  off  into  receptacles  wherein  the  water  settles 
at  the  bottom  and  is  drawn  off.  The  oil  weighs  about  seven  and 
one-half  pounds  to  the  gallon.  The  pure  oil  is  then  put  into  barrels 
and  stowed  away  in  the  hold  of  the  "smack."  The  first  dipping 
is  much  purer  than  that  which  follows.  The  latter  is  procured 
through  the  application  of  heat  and  pressure,  to  express  the 
remaining  oil  from  the  cells.  Cod  livers,  like  lard,  yield  a  large 
percentage  of  pure  oil  and  tallow.     The  second  and  third  runs. 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  I79 

.although  not  as  pure,  have  a  lair  commercial  value  for  use  on 
leather,  wherein  more  body  is  required,  and  are  known  as  "thick 
cod  oil"  and  "blubber." 

The  chemical  composition  of  cod  liver  oil  has  not  yet  been  sat- 
isfactorily analyzed.  "  It  contains  a  dark  brown,  odorless  and 
tasteless  substance  called  gaduine,  also  oleine  and  margarine,  bu- 
tyric and  acetic  acids,  biliary  principles  and  iodine.  Chlorine  and 
bromine  are  found  in  exceedingly  small  quantities.  Also  phos- 
phoric and  sulphuric  acids,  phosphorus,  lime,  magnesia,  soda  and 
•  iron.  In  pulmonary  consumption,  although  not  a  specific,  it  con- 
tributes, when  well  borne,  to  the  nourishment  of  the  patient,  re- 
lieving many  unpleasant  symptoms  and  often  prolongs  life."' 

The  next  in  value  are  the  Labrador,  Straits  and  shore  oils 
These  are  obtained  from  the  cod,  haddock,  etc.,  and  are  sold  prin- 
cipally for  leather  manufacture.  There  is  also  what  is  known  as 
the  porgee  fish  oil.  This  species  of  fish  are  not  used  for  food 
Like  mackerel  they  swim  in  schools  and  are  seined  in  immense 
quantities  upon  the  coast  of  Main^.  These  fish  are  thrown  into 
presses  like  apples  into  a  cider  mill  and  are  subjected  to  great 
pressure.  The  oil  thus  forced  out  is  purified  and  sold  to  tanners 
It  is  also  largely  used  in  the  mixture  of  paints  and  for  adulterating 
linseed  oil,  it  being  of  a  gummy  nature,  of  good  body,  and  for 
coarse  painting,  such  as  outbuildings,  tanneries,  etc.,  is  more 
durable  than  linseed  oil  and  at  about  one-third  the  cost  Were 
it  not  for  its  peculiar,  fishy  odor  it  could  be  extensively  used  for 
mside  work  in  dwellings.  The  waste  or  scrap  is  used  for  fertiliz- 
ing purposes. 

This  oil  has  given  the  tanners  a  deal  of  trouble.  When  sweet 
and  new,  little,  if  any,  harm  will  result  through  its  use;  but  when 
once  It  becomes  rancid,  and  is  then  used  without  mixing  with  par- 
affine  or  resin  oils,  it  will  cause  the  leather  to  fry  and  gum  and 
the  sides,  when  finished  and  put  into  packages,  will  eventually 
stick  together  so  firmly  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  separate 
them;  and  then  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  finish.  It  is  safer,  therefore 
when  using  fish  oils,  of  whatever  grade,  unless  the  purchaser  is 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  grades  and  quality  he  receives,  to  use 
from  ten  to  twenty-five  per  cent  of  the  best  paraffine  oil  before 
applymg  it  to  the  leather. 

Dealers  in  fish  oils,  well  knowing  the  injurious  effects  of  porgee 
oil,  through  frequent  complaints,  recommend  themixing  as  above, 


180  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

for  upper  leather  stuffed  with  paraffine  or  resin  oils  exclusively  has 
never  been  known  to  fry  or  gum.  It  is  more  important  that  the  tan- 
ner should  do  his  own  mixing  ;  then  he  can  tell  pretty  nearly  what 
proportion  of  each  he  is  using.  Seven  out  of  ten  tanners  cannot 
distinguish  cod  from  porgee  fish  oil,  when  prepared  and  doctored 
with  the  cheaper  grades  of  mineral  oils.  Rank  fish  oils  may  be 
diluted  from  thirty  to  fifty  per  cent,  and  still  retain  their  fishy  odor, 
and  unless  the  tanner  familiarizes  himself  with  the  several  grades 
and  their  nature,  so  as  to  be  able  to  distinguish  between  pure  cod 
and  a  concoction  of  porgee,  shore  or  mineral  oils,  he  will  be  at 
the  mercy  of  unscrupulous  dealers.  There  is  no  surer  way  for  a 
ready  test  than  by  the  sense  of  taste.  If  the  oil  is  pure  cod,  it  will 
be  found  quite  palatable  after  a  few  tests,  and  will  not  leave  any 
bad  taste  in  the  mouth  or  throat.  But,  when  mixed  with  parafi&ne 
or  resin  oils,  it  may  be  readily  detected  by  the  sharp,  pungent 
taste,  as  also  by  the  bluish  cast  when  exposed  to  a  strong  light. 
The  writer  has  frequently  swallowed  a  half  ounce  or  more  of  cod 
oil,  when  learning  to  test  the  grades,  and  eventually  became  to  like 
it ;  but  should  the  new  beginner  unfortunately  commence  with 
that  which  had  been  "doctored,"  he  would  not  be  likely  to  repeat 
the  operation. 

Frequently  the  faults  of  a  poor  finish  in  leather  are  laid  to  the 
use  of  oil.  For  instance,  a  case  which  recently  came  under  the 
writer's  observation  :  A  tanner  of  harness  leather  was  greatly 
troubled  with  a  white  scum  appearing  on  the  black  side  of  his  lea- 
ther. It  covered  the  entire  body  surface,  and  was  found  to  be  quite 
indelible.  Only  by  hard  rubbing  with  oiled  cloths  could  it  be 
eradicated,  and  then  it  would  appear  later  as  conspicuous  as  before. 
This  was  not  caused  through  any  impurity  in  the  oil  used,  but  from 
too  free  use  of  sal-soda  in  the  mordant.  Salt  used  in  connection  with 
the  tannin  will  produce  the  same  results.  It  is  seldom  that  the 
white  scum  mentioned  appears  upon  flesh  finished  upper  leather, 
kips  or  calfskins,  excepting  too  strong  alkalies  are  used  in  the  soap 
blacking.  Tanners  have  been  deceived  so  often  in  the  use  of  im- 
pure oils  that  whenever  trouble  arises  in  the  finish  the  oil  mer- 
chant is  frequently  blamed  without  suflScient  cause. 

RAISE  THE  STANDARD. 
In  times  of  general  depression,  and  when  competition  is  sharp 
and  margins  close,  it  is  a  good  time  for  tanners  to  call  a  halt,  bank 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  181 

the  fires  and  examine  into  the  numerous  details  and  complicated 
processes  appertaining  to  the  manufacture,  and  see  if  there  is  any 
opening  whereby  some  improvement  can  be  made.  When  trade 
is  booming  and  leather  sells  readily,  the  non-practical  tanner  is  too 
apt  to  forget  the  minor  details.  If  he  finds  a  ready  sale  for  his 
leather,  even  at  unsatisfactory  prices,  he  does  not  fret  or  worry 
himself  about  making  improvements  in  the  quality  of  his  stock. 
He  has  not  the  time  nor  patience  to  figure  up  the  cost  or  improving 
the  quality  of  his  products.  His  great  ambition  is  to  excel  in  his 
output  over  that  of  his  neighbor,  and  is  ever  ready  to  sink  a  few 
more  pits  and  increase  his  capacity.  He  will  leave  all  experiment- 
ing to  his  more  practical  neighbor.  Quality  he  considers  a 
secondary  consideration  ;  he  is  working  for  money,  not  reputation, 
and  claims  to  have  been  fairly  successful  during  the  years  he  has 
been  engaged,  and  now  feels  that  he  can  hold  his  own  with  those 
more  practical  and  conservative. 

This  doctrine  is  very  good,  as  far  as  it  goes,  but  like  all  theories, 
will  not  bridge  over  the  chasm  when  the  stream  is  swollen,  or  in 
times  of  general  depression,  when  the  issue  is  to  be  squarely  met  • 
then  the  question  arises,  who  can  make  the  best  goods  at  the  least 
cost,  and  by  so  doing  command  a  fair  share  of  the  trade.  The 
theoretical,  or  I  may  say  the  ornamental  tanner,  who  never  per- 
formed a  stroke  of  labor  in  the  beam-house,  tannery,  or  finish- 
ing shops,  will,  in  times  like  the  present,  find  it  difl&cult  to  compete 
for  a  share  of  the  trade,  however  much  capital  he  may  have  at  his 
command.  Consequently,  the  future  of  the  leather  manufacture 
will  purify  itself,  and  will  be  conducted  by  those  having  practical 
experience  and  capital  combined. 

Tanning  is  an  art  that  cannot  be  learned  in  one  month  or  in 
one  year.  "With  a  life  experience  there  is  something  new  to  learn 
every  day,  and  when  I  hear  a  tanner  (?)  make  this  boasting  re- 
mark, ' '  You  cannot  tell  me  anything  about  leather.  I  have  learned 
it  from  top  to  bottom  and  from  bottom  to  top,"  I  may  safely  con- 
clude that  his  knowledge  is  limited  and  picked  up  in  a  promiscu- 
ous way.  The  business  has  been  very  unsatisfactory  for  several 
years  and  the  real  cause  may  be  thus  traced  :  First,  to  a  lack  of 
practical  knowledge  of  many  who  were  engaged  and  who,  as  men- 
tioned, work  for  money  rather  than  reputation  and  that  which  is 
sure  to  follow,  and  who  eventually  lose  what  money  they  invested. 
Second,  there  are  those  who  have  been  the  means  of  demoralizing 


182  I.EATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

the  trade  by  the  purchase  of  hides  at  prices  that  would  not  warrant 
a  margin  of  profit  in  the  manufacture  by  yearly  increasing  their 
capacity  rather  than  reducing  their  output  to  within  the  limits  of 
demand  and  raising  the  standard  in  the  manufacture. 

How  raise  the  standard  and  meet  competition  when  the  demand 
is  for  cheaper  goods,  as  at  present  ?  To  raise  the  standard  does  not 
imply  extra  cost  in  time  or  materials,  but  extra  care  and  attention 
to  all  the  minute  details.  One  expert  tanner  will  make,  from  B 
and  No.  2  hides,  more  desirable  leather,  and  that  which  will  pay 
fair  profits  to  his  employers,  than  that  made  from  strictly  No.  i 
hides  by  a  non-practical  or  theoretical  tanner,  whose  smattering 
knowledge  and  assurance  have  won  for  him  a  position  which  he 
prides  himself  as  fully  capable  of  filling.  His  employers  look 
more  to  salary  than  brains ;  if  they  can  secure  a  foreman  at  $1,000 
per  year  to  manage  a  large  tannery,  having  a  capacity  of  75,000 
sides  of  upper,  or  double  that  of  calf  and  kips  annually,  it  is  con- 
sidered a  sharp,  shrewd  scheme  on  their  part.  The  manager  thus 
obtained  may  be  a  pushing  sort  of  a  fellow — a  good  talker,  of  good 
habits,  etc.,  which  has  great  weight  with  his  employers;  but  they 
usually  put  in  a  proviso  that  he  must  consult  with  them  upon  any 
proposed  changes  from  old-time  methods — how  long  to  soak  and 
lime  the  hides ;  how  low  to  reduce  them  in  the  bates  ;  how  many 
hides  or  skins  must  be  carried  through  the  works  daily,  and  how 
many  each  man  is  expected  to  flesh  and  unhair,  etc.  The  foreman 
in  this  case  becomes  no  more  than  a  figure-head — a  mechanical 
nonentity  to  perform  the  bidding  of  his  equally  non-practical  em- 
ployers. 

Now,  suppose  that  during  the  process  of  soaking,  liming,  bating 
and  tanning,  a  pack,  or  several  packs,  of  hides  or  skins  should  be 
injured  ?  This  is  liable  to  occur  daily  in  tanneries  where  the  fore- 
man or  workmen  are  not  thoroughly  familiar  with  their  work. 
Who,  I  ask,  would  be  to  blame?  Would  the  foreman,  who  is 
merely  the  "  Punch  and  Judy  "  to  the  proprietors  in  the  back- 
ground? The  foreman  performs  the  dancing  and  gymnastic  feats, 
and  his  employers  pay  the  fiddler. 

The  capital  invested,  the  time,  care,  and  vigilance  demanded 
during  the  process  of  tanning,  should  have  careful  consideration 
with  tanners  who  are  not  supposed  to  contribute  their  own  services 
towards  the  manufacture.  If  "eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of 
liberty,"   it  will   with  equal  force   apply  to  the  making  of  good 


VALUABLE     INFORMATION.  183 

leather.     The  successful  tanners  will  be  those  having  a  practical 
knowledge  ;  men  of  enterprise,  system,  and  method.     If  not  called 
upon  to  personally  manage  or  oversee  their  business,  they  should  be 
fully  able  to  direct  affairs.     They  should  require  of  their  foremen 
strict  economy  in  each  and    every  department.     If  tanning  sole 
leather,  where  weight  is  a  consideration,  they  should  know  how  to 
secure  it  without  injuring  the  quality ;  to  study  how  to  produce 
plump  leather  having  all  the  desirable  qualities  without  resorting 
to  artificial  means,  as  in  the  use  of  acids,  and  to  lessen  the  time  by 
frequent  changes  of  liquors  ;  not  allow  the  hides  to  fall  away  from 
want  of  sufficient  nourishment,  or  to  crowd  too  many  in  a  pack. 
Allow  the  hides  ample  room  in  the  pits  to  grow  and  be  healthy,  the 
same  as  when  upon  the  backs  of  the  animal.     "  Have  a  place  for 
everything,  and  everything  in  its  place. ' '     Make  the  tannery  and 
workshops  attractive,  as  far  as  possible,  to  the  men  engaged.     If 
you  have  no  sheds  for  the  protection  of  your  bark,  pack  it  into 
neat  and  compact  piles,  and  well  roofed  as  a  protection  from  storms. 
Take  a  look  at  the  bark-mills,  and  see  if  the  product,  as  ground, 
is  even  and  uniform.     See  that  no  filth  accumulates  in  the  soaks, 
limes,  bates,  and  tannery  pits.     Keep  an  eye  to  all  improvements 
in  machinery  and  materials.     The  bark  crusher  and  shaving  mills 
recently  introduced  have  merit,   and    a  great  saving  is  claimed 
through  their  use.     Make  a  few  experiments,  and  do  not  be  afraid 
to  switch  off  from  the  old  routine.     Commence  with  a  piece  of  hide, 
then  take  a  side,  and  should  the  results  appear  favorable,  take  a 
hide  or  a  pack ;  mark  them  and  carry  along  through  the  works, 
and  when  tanned  and  finished  compare  results.     The  limes  and 
bates  are  a  nuisance,  and  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  they  will 
be  entirely  abolished.     See  if  you  cannot  invent  a  substitute  which 
will  produce  better  results.     It  will  come  to  you  only  through  ex- 
perimenting, and  chemical  research  and  study.     Invent  something, 
if  it  be  ever  so  simple,  only  that  it  will  save  time,  care,  and  mate- 
rial in  the  application.     Distribute  the  workmen  so  that  each  shall 
have  some  responsibility.     Give  them  your  confidence  if  worthy. 
Have  the  men  to  understand  that  a  share  of  the  burden  is  on  their 
shoulders,  and  they  will  help  you  carry  it  through  to  the  end  of 
the  journey. 

It  is  seldom  all  the  qualifications  will  be  found  in  one  man  to 
practically  conduct  the  numerous  processes  in  the  several  depart- 
ments.    He  may  be  a  capital  manager,  a  good  disciplinarian,  very 


184  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

important  characteristics,  yet  be  lacking  in  many  minor  details 
appertaining  to  the  business.  He  should  choose  his  subordinates 
with  an  eye  to  fitness  for  each  department,  so  that  the  whole  may 
harmonize.  For  the  want  of  this  harmony  and  concert  of  action,  I 
have  noticed  in  many  large  tanneries  feelings  of  jealousy  and  dis- 
cord among  the  men  and  foremen.  This  has  a  tendency  to  set  at 
naught  all  well-known  rules  and  methods. 

In  conclusion,  I  would  urge  the  adoption  and  maintenance  of 
system  and  uniformity.  If  the  former  is  adhered  to,  the  latter  will 
be  sure  to  follow.  Never  apply  the  saying,  '  *  Let  well  enough 
alone,"  until  you  have  attained  that  standard  There  is  yet  a  large 
opening  for  improvement  in  the  manufacture  of  leather.  The  time 
was  never  more  auspicious  than  now  to  take  the  initiative.  The 
bed-rock  has  been  reached,  but  not  without  sacrifice  of  capital,  and 
bankruptcy  to  many.  The  ore  is  in  sight ;  all  the  necessary  ma- 
chinery is  erected  for  bringing  it  to  the  surface  for  general 
distribution.  Those  employing  the  most  perfect  machinery,  pro- 
ducing the  least  friction,  and  properly  managed,  will  be  sure  to 
receive  their  reward. 


PAST,  PRESENT  AND  FUTURE  OF  LEATHER 
MANUFACTURE. 

The  manufacture  of  leather  has  for  many  centuries  been  a  slow- 
going  process,  in  comparison  to  all  other  commodities  entering  into 
consumption.  During  the  past  twenty-five  years  there  have  been 
decided  improvements  made  in  lessening  the  time  during  the  pro- 
cess to  months,  in  place  of  years,  as  was  the  custom,  particularly 
among  the  tanners  of  the  old  world. 

Now  heavy  sole  leather  is  tanned  in  three  months'  time,  where 
it  formerly  required  from  six  to  nine  months,  and  in  many  instances 
from  one  to  two  years.  Wax  upper  and  grain  leather  is  now  tanned 
and  finished  in  from  fifty  to  sixty  days,  where  thirty  years  ago  it 
required  from  four  to  six  months. 

Both  sole  and  upper  leather,  now  tanned  by  the  quicker  pro- 
cess, are  far  superior  to  that  made  in  years  gone  by.  When  this 
radical  change  from  olden-time  principles  was  first  inaugurated, 
there  was  a  great  hue  and  cry  among  consumers  of  leather,  that  it 
would  not  give  equal  service,  and  that  the  leather  was  burned  in 
hot  liquors  in  the  endeavor  to  facilitate  the  process.  There  are  those 
at  this  late  day  who  are  of  that  belief,  all  arguments  that  could  be 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  185 

raised  would  fail  to  convince  them  that  upper  leather,  as  now  man- 
ufactured, will  outwear  that  made  on  olden-time  principles,  besides 
affording  greater  comfort  and  protection  to  the  feet  of  consumers. 

The  ice  has  been  broken,  and  before  the  era  of  another  century- 
dawns  upon  the  tanning  industry,  there  will  be  witnessed  a  complete 
revolution  in  the  art  of  making  leather,  not  only  by  further  lessening 
the  time,  but  in  producing  a  superior  article,  both  in  sole  and  upper 
leather.  Already  patents  have  been  granted  for  a  process  to  hasten 
the  tanning  by  electricity,  and  from  numerous  experiments  made, 
sole  leather  has  been  tanned  in  from  ten  to  twelve  hours'  time. 
The  hides  are  prepared  in  the  usual  manner  in  the  beam-house  and 
then  placed  within  rotating  drums,  Liquor  of  the  required  amount 
and  density  to  thoroughly  tan  them,  is  run  in,  when  a  current  ot 
electricity  is  applied,  and  in  a  surprisingly  short  time  the  hides  are 
fully  tanned,  and  it  is  claimed  that  hides  so  tanned  yield  as  great 
a  percentage  of  leather  as  by  the  long  and  tedious  process  of  hand- 
ling and  laying  away  in  the  pits.  By  this  process  there  will  be 
little,  if  any  waste  of  the  tannic  acid.  In  fact,  the  liquor  has  not 
time  to  decompose  and  produce  gallic  acid,  so  destructive  to  tan- 
nin. Extracts  which  can  be  applied  at  a  higher  density,  wherein 
weight  and  solidity  of  leather  is  a  consideration,  will  be  more 
generally  used.  These  changes  are  as  sure  to  be  witnessed  in 
the  immediate  future  as  that  the  World's  Fair  is  to  be  held 
in  Chicago  in  1892,  and  that  sole  and  upper  leather  tanned  by 
the  aid  of  electricity  will,  without  doubt,  be  there  on  exhibi- 
tion. 

The  claim  has  always  been  that,  could  the  millions  of  pores 
of  the  hide  be  kept  open  during  the  process  and  the  fibers  agi- 
tated, the  hide  could  be  tanned  in  a  few  hours,  similar  to  that 
of  coloring  cotton  or  woolen  fabrics.  Electricity  has  a  similar 
effect  on  the  hide  as  does  the  sense  of  sight  to  the  cat  when  a 
dog  intrudes  on  her  domain ;  the  numberless  hairs  instantly 
arise,  standing  erect  awaiting  the  charge. 

Repeated  experiments  have  proven  that  by  the  continuous 
agitation  of  hides  while  immersed  in  the  tannic  acid,  it  will  unite 
with  the  fiber  and  gelatine  in  a  comparatively  short  time.  When 
hides  are  suspended  in  the  pits  and  the  liquor  occasionally  agi- 
tated, just  sufficient  to  gently  fan  the  fibers,  the  time  in  tanning 
will  be  reduced  fully  one-half  over  the  old  method  which  keeps 
them  lying  in  a  dormant  condition  in  the  handlers  and  layaways. 


186  I.EATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

Let  US  go  further,  passing  over  a  period  of  ten  or  more  years 
or  to  the  opening  of  the  twentieth  century,  when  still  greater  won- 
ders will  undoubtedly  be  witnessed  in  that  of  converting  the  raw 
material  into  leather.  The  hides  will  then  be  soaked  in  the 
usual  manner,  the  dewclaws,  fat  and  flesh  removed  and  then  sub- 
mitted to  the  quick  process  of  unhairing  by  immersing  them  in  a 
strong  sulphide  of  sodium  bath,  which  will  remove  the  hair  in 
from  five  to  six  hours  without  injuring  in  the  least  the  fiber  and 
gelatine  of  the  hides.  Bating  and  fine-hairing  will  be  dispensed 
with,  and  after  a  good  washing  in  the  wheel,  the  hides  will  then 
be  put  into  tanks  of  boiling  water  containing  acids  and  alkalies 
and  the  compact  structure  disintegrated,  the  fibers  and  gelatine 
reduced  to  a  pulp,  as  the  excess  of  water  is  absorbed  by  the  re- 
quired temperature  of  heat.  At  this  stage  oak  and  hemlock  ex- 
tracts are  run  into  the  tank  in  such  quantity  as  will  be  necessary 
to  tan  the  pulp,  the  tanning  process  of  which  will  be  instantane- 
ous. The  pulp,  consisting  of  tanned  gelatine,  fiber,  cuticle  and 
corium,  will  then  be  run  off  into  large,  shallow  pans  to  cool.  Yan- 
kee ingenuity  will  in  the  meantime  invent  a  cuticle  or  substitute 
for  the  grain  which  can  be  applied  in  liquid  form  soon  after  the 
pulp  is  run  into  the  pans,  and  during  the  drying  become  uniformly 
united  with  the  former  ingredients. 

The  several  substances  of  sole  or  upper  leather  may  be  graded 
when  running  the  liquid  pulp  into  the  pans,  as  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  paper.  The  pans  are  then  placed  on  racks  in  the  lofts  to 
dry,  and,  if  for  sole  leather,  when  in  proper  temper  for  rolling,  the 
strips  are  taken  to  the  rolling  machine  and  submitted  to  a  heavy 
pressure,  when  the  gelatine  or  fiber  will  become  as  firmly  united  as 
when  in  the  original  hide. 

The  advantages  to  be  derived  through  this  prospective  process 
of  tanning  would  be  numerous.  In  the  first  place,  nearly  all  of 
the  offal  on  the  hide  can  be  utilized.  Calf,  kip,  cow,  steer,  and 
bull  hides,  can  be  worked  together,  and  produce  uniform  results. 
It  will  not  require  as  much  tannic  acid  to  tan  the  pulp  as  it  would 
to  tan  the  hide  in  its  original  condition.  No  tanning  pits  leaches, 
bark  mills,  or  bark  sheds,  are  requisite  should  extracts  be  used. 
The  number  of  hands  employed  by  the  present  method  could  be  re- 
duced about  one-half.  Skiving,  splitting,  and  shaving,  would  be 
dispensed  with.  With  no  offal  or  splits,  shoddy  soles,  counters, 
etc.,  would  be  among  the  things  of  the  past.    Every  portion  of  the 


VAIvUABIvE  INFORMATION.  187 

leather  could  be  cut  into  soles  and  uppers  without  waste,  and  be  of 
uniform  substance  and  quality.  Strips  of  leather,  say  ten  feet  long,  and 
four  feet  wide,  could  be  more  economically  manipulated  in  the  several 
departments  in  the  finishing.  For  upper  leather  finish  no  scouring 
would  be  required,  and  the  strips  taken  as  dried  from  the  pans  and 
tempered,  if  for  stuffing  by  hand  or  wheel  in  the  usual  manner  when 
set  out,  could  be  dry-glassed  on  both  sides  by  machine  before 
blacking.  Harness  and  belting  strips  of  any  desired  length,  width, 
and  thickness,  could  be  produced  when  running  the  pulp  to  the 
pans.  Boots  and  shoes  of  every  style  and  substance  may  be  molded 
from  the  pulp,  and  without  stitch  or  seam.  With  all  these  advan- 
tages, who  will  take  the  initiative  ? 


KANGAROO  I.EATHER. 


KANGAROO   HIDES   FROM  AUSTRALIA  TANNED   IN  AMERICA. 

The  Newark,  N.  J.,  correpondent  of  the  Globe- Democrat  S2iy sin 
that  paper : 

There  are  6,000  kangaroo  skins  received  in  this  city  every  week. 
They  are  all  tanned  in  one  large  establishment  on  Sussex  avenue, 
and  are  then  made  into  fine  shoes  for  both  sexes.  Australia  and 
New  Zealand  furnish  kangaroo  hides  for  the  world.  The  kanga- 
roos are  killed  in  Australia,  about  300  miles  back  from  the  coast, 
and  are  shipped  from  Melbourne,  Sidney,  and  Newcastle,  in  Aus- 
tralia, and  from  Masterton,  in  New  Zealand.  Until  1869,  the 
kangaroos  were  killed  and  eaten  in  Australia,  and  their  hides  were 
cut  up  into  shoestrings.  But  an  Englishman  named  Brown,  in 
that  year  discovered  the  wonderful  consistency  of  the  grain  in  the 
leather  and  brought  several  thousand  skins  to  this  country.  He 
tried  to  sell  the  hides  to  tanners,  but  they  were  shy  of  the  novelty, 
and  he  had  to  sell  them  at  a  sacrifice  to  a  bookbinder.  The  book- 
binder made  triangular  comer  pieces  in  ledgers  and  commercial 
books  out  of  the  skins,  and  so  discovered  the  good  quality  of  the 
leather.  It  was  in  this  way  that  the  big  leather  men  were  first 
attracted  to  kangaroo  hide.  The  skin  was  found  to  be  very  tena- 
cious and  the  grain  was  three  times  as  thick  as  any  other.  The 
compactness  of  the  grain  prevents  its  absorbing  the  water,  while 
the  acids  in  blacking  meets  with  an  almost  impervious  substance. 
Eight  men  hunt  together  for  kangaroos.  They  are  called  "a  set." 
'UHien  brought  to  bay,  the  kangaroo  jumps  like  a  flash  for  the  hun- 


188  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


ter's  chest  and  tries  to  crush  it  in  with  a  stroke  of  his  hind  foot, 
which  is  very  powerful  and  armed  with  a  terrible  claw.  To  pre- 
vent this,  each  man  wears  across  his  breast  a  two  or  three  inch  thick 
matting.  Armed  with  a  spear,  with  a  club  attachment  at  the  other 
end,  they  ride  upon  swift  horses  into  a  herd.  With  the  agility  and 
equipoise  of  circus  riders,  they  stand  erect  upon  their  steeds,  rarely 
falling  off,  and  use  their  spears  and  clubs  dexterously. 

The  kangaroo  is  able  to  jump  clear  over  a  horse.  As  the  game 
is  bagged  it  is  deprived  of  its  coat,  which  is  stretched  on  the 
ground  and  pegged  down  to  prevent  shrinkage,  while  the  flesh  fur- 
nishes meat  to  the  camp.  Kach  man  places  his  private  mark  on 
his  booty,  and  when  loo  apiece  are  obtained,  they  return  back  to 
civilization. 

There  are  twenty  different  sorts  of  kangaroos  ;  among  them  the 
blue,  red.  Wallaby,  black,  gray  and  forester,  the  latter  furnishing 
the  best  leather,  as  it  lives  mainly  in  wooded  sections.  When  the 
shipping  ports  are  reached,  the  hunters  dispose  of  the  skins  by 
auction  to  the  highest  bidders,  and  realize  about  seventy  cents  a 
pound.  Kangaroo  hunters  make  fine  livelihoods,  their  gains  often 
amounting  up  to  several  thousand  dollars  per  year,  while  one  man 
is  known  to  have  cleared  $4,500,  free  of  living  expenses. 

In  an  interview  recently,  Mr.  Salomon  said  that  the  tanning  of 
kangaroo  skins  is  confined  to  men  employed  by  Americans,  as 
other  dealers  cannot  afford  to  pay  the  high  prices  for  the  raw 
material.  The  result  is  that  Parisian  and  London  shoe  manufac- 
turers buy  their  stock  of  kangaroo  leather  directly  from  Newark, 
and  prominent  dealers  in  Germany,  Greece,  Spain,  and  even  Aus- 
tralia itself,  obtain  their  supplies  from  the  same  New  Jersey  source. 
The  trade  has  obtained  such  a  magnitude  that  the  6,000  skins 
received  and  tanned  here  weekly  are  almost  inadequate.  Thus  the 
strange  animal  discovered  by  Capt.  Cook,  a  century  ago,  and 
christened  "  Macaropas  Major,"  by  scientists,  has  become  an  im- 
portant element  in  commerce;  and  the  "  Booma,"  or  old  male, 
who,  when  domesticated,  becomes  a  devotee  to  beer  drinking,  finds 
himself  serving  as  a  foot-covering  for  the  effete  scions  of  civilization. 


ORIENTAI.  TANNERS. 
In  addition  to  sandals,  says  Leather,   the  Egyptian  curriers 
made  the  covering  of  seats  of  sofas,   bow-cases,  quivers,  the  furni- 
ture of  war  chariots,  and  the  decorations  of  harps  and  shields. 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  189 

Stamped  and  beautifully  embossed  leather  straps  have  been  fre- 
quently found  fastened  round  the  mummies.  The  practice  of 
stretching  the  tanned  skin  on  a  wooden  frame,  as  is  the  custom  of 
European  saddlers,  and  the  semi-circular  knife  in  vogue  with  the 
curriers  of  the  present  day,  are  both  distinctly  represented  at 
Thebes.  The  shoemakers  are  one  of  the  very  lowest  casts  in  India. 
Leather  is  considered  unclean  by  the  Hindoos,  and  consequently 
those  who  work  in  it  are  defiled.  It  is  alleged  of  the  shoemakers 
that  they  eat  the  flesh  of  domestic  animals  that  die  a  natural  death. 
They  drag  or  carry  away  the  carcass  to  their  own  part  of  the  town 
or  village,  cut  it  up  in  pieces,  and  distribute  the  flesh  among  them- 
selves in  sufficient  portions,  and  clean  the  hide  and  put  it  away  for 
sale,  or  to  be  manufactured  into  something. 

It  is  a  singular  circumstance  that  the  Chinese  have  no  acquaint- 
ance with  the  process  of  tanning  by  vegetable  juices,  but  use  only 
mineral  and  animal  substances  ;  hence  the  inferiority  of  their  pre- 
pared skins. 

The  myriads  of  victims  slain  in  Jewish  sacrifices  must  have 
afforded  the  skin  market  a  copious  supply.  The  scarcity  of  glass, 
pottery  and  earthenware  would,  however,  cause  a  constant  demand 
foi  leathern  bottles  and  drinking  vessels,  and  these,  by  reason  of 
climate,  defective  manufacture,  and  by  exposure  to  the  process  of 
fermentation,  were  very  perishable  ;  perhaps  even  more  so  than  the 
brittle  vessels  of  glass  and  clay. 

Only  one  tanner  is  mentioned  in  the  Bible — the  Simon  who  was, 
in  all  probability,  a  member  of  the  church  at  Joppa,  and  in  whose 
house  Peter  found  a  temporary  home  when  the  messengers  of  Cor- 
nelius were  informed  :  ' '  He  lodgeth  with  one  Simon,  a  tanner, 
whose  house  is  by  the  seaside."  There  are  numerous  wells  of 
water  in  close  proximity  to  the  town  of  Joppa.  This  would  render 
it  a  suitable  locality  for  a  tannery,  and  the  adjacent  port  would 
facilitate  the  shipments  of  a  cargo  in  great  request,  not  only 
through  all  the  Mediterranean  coast,  but  far  up  the  Nile,  and 
among  the  semi-civilized  dwellers  of  Northern  Europe.  Several 
tanneries  of  great  antiquity  still  exist  near  the  shore,  one  of  which 
is  said  by  tradition  to  have  been  that  of  Simon,  the  tanner. 

We  have  many  pieces  of  skin  and  leather  from  the  Egyptian 
tombs  in  a  state  of  perfect  preservation,  which  passed  through  the 
hands  of  the  tanner  more  than  thirty  centuries  ago,  and  which,  but 


tEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


for  the  invention  of  this  process,  must  have  perished  in  a  few  hours 
after  they  had  left  the  carcasses  from  which  they  were  stripped. 

HEAIvTHY  HIDES. 

Every  little  while  a  great  hue  and  cry  is  raised  of  some  dread- 
ful disease  being  communicated  by  tanners'  stock,  notably  hides 
received  from  some  condemned  animals.  If  there  are  any  diseases 
of  an  infectious  character  that  can  withstand  salting,  drying,  lim- 
ing and  so  on,  and  still  retain  the  germs  of  spreading  the  same,  I 
would  like  an  opportunity  of  examination.  It  is  next  to  an  absurd- 
ity to  reason  that  among  the  few  disorders  that  are  susceptible  to 
inoculation  and  contagion  from  a  lower  to  a  higher  order  of  animal 
life,  there  is  but  a  small  proportion  but  what  cease  to  be  suscepti- 
ble of  being  conveyed  after  the  animal  upon  which  they  fed  and 
were  propagated,  is  dead,  for  with  many  of  these  the  life  of  the 
animal  proper  is  indispensable  to  the  parasite.  Sometimes,  as  with 
the  aniledes,  which  depend  upon  the  death  of  certain  portions  o 
the  animal  inhabited  for  some  of  their  many  transformations,  this 
may  be  so,  but  with  disease,  in  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  the 
term,  as  stated  before,  the  case  is  entirely  different.  It  might  be 
possible  for  disease  to  be  communicated  from  one  member  of  the 
same  species  to  another  in  hides,  as  cases  are  known  of  certain  well- 
defined  typhoid  and  kindred  loathsome  disorders  being  carried  from 
one  section  to  another  by  means  of  rags,  clothing,  and  other  fibrous 
materials,  but  most  invariably  among  the  same  species  where  orig- 
inated, but  cases  of  transmission  of  disease  in  this  manner  are 
very  seldom,  if  ever,  met  with,  and  more  especially  the  disease  of 
one  species  to  another. 

"While  it  seems  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  disease  which  may 
have  existed  in  the  cuticle  or  blood  corpuscles  of  the  animal  can 
retain  its  virility  after  the  hide  has  been  passed  through  the  limes 
and  the  various  processes  of  tanning,  it  may  be  possible  that  some 
of  the  chemical  agents  used  in  the  preparation  of  the  smaller  skins 
produce  ill  effects  on  the  human  species,  who  may  wear  them  in 
the  form  of  shoes,  etc.  Goat  and  kid  skins,  for  example,  are 
coated  with  a  seasoning  liquid  to  render  the  skin  susceptible  of  re- 
ceiving the  "glaze."  This  fluid  contains  blood,  often  in  a  more 
or  less  advanced  stage  of  decomposition.  As  the  seasoning  liquor 
is  only  used  on  the  finished  side  of  the  skin,  it  seems  scarcely  pos- 
sible that  blood  poisoning  could  be  induced  in  the  wearer  of  a  shoe 
whose  feet  only  come  in  contact  with  the  flesh  side  of  the  leather 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  191 


CHINESE   HIDES. 

The  Austrian  commercial  journal,  Das  Handels  Museum,  de- 
votes a  long  article  to  a  discussion  of  the  trade  in  hides  from  China. 
These  form  the  principal  articles  in  the  trade  of  China  with  Aus- 
tria-Hungary and  are  the  chief  cargoes  of  the  Austrian   Lloyds 
steamers  from  Hong  Kong.     In  1887  68,269  piculs  of  hides  were 
shipped  to  foreign  countries,  against  77,735  in  the  previous  year. 
It  was  not  until  1876  that  the  export  to  England  and  America  at- 
tained any  importance,  but  it  then  increased  with  great  rapidity. 
The  first  shipment  to  the  Mediterranean  took  place  in  March,  1881, 
and  this  was  to  Trieste.     Chinese  hides  are  strong,  sun-dried  and 
have  a  short  hair.     In  the  earlier  years  the  purchase,  preparation, 
packing  and  shipping  were  all  done  at  Shanghai.     The  work  has 
gradually  shifted  since  1885  to  Hankow.     The  shipment  to  Great 
Britain  and  North  America  is  in  British,  that  to  the  continent  of 
Europe  in  German  hands.     China  is  really  not  a  hide  producing 
country  like  India,  Australia  and  South  America,  where  there  are 
vast  pastures  for  herds  and  large  slaughtering  establishments.     In 
China  a  consignment  is  collected  with  care  and  trouble  in   small 
rural  villages,  frequently  in  the  most  remote  parts  of  the  western 
provinces  and  always  by  Chinese  merchants.  They  are,  therefore, 
often  weeks  and  even  months  before  they  reach  the  port  of  ship- 
ment, and  this  is  doubtless  the  reason  why  the  market  has  largely 
shifted  from  Shanghai  to  Hankow.       The  different  sources  from 
which  a  single  shipment  is  derived  and  also  differences  in  treat- 
ment account  for  the  great  difiiculty  which  is  experienced  in  ob- 
taining a  like  quality.      The  food  which  the  animal  has  been  ac- 
customed to  get  has  naturally  the  most  important  effect  on   the 
quality  of  the  hide.     When  the  hides  arrive  from  the  interior  they 
are  soaked,  those  which  are  cut  or  otherwise  injured  being  taken 
out  for  use  in  the  locality.  Those  for  export  are  cleaned,  the  heads 
and  hoofs  are  cut  off  and  they  are  treated  with  a  preparation  to 
prevent  putrefaction  and  the  ravages  of  worms  or  insects.       The 
freight  for  hides  from  Hankow  to  Trieste  is  twelve  taels  per  ton. 
Difficulties  are  constantly  arising  on  account  of  the  tricks  of  the 
Chinese  dealers,  who  add  substances  to  increase  the  weight  and 
hide  defects  in  all  manner  of  ways. 

VACUUM   TANNING. 

The  vacuum  process  of  tanning  has  long  engaged  the  attention 
of  inventors.    Various  substances  are  preserved  by  this  method  and 


193  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

theoretically  the  idea  appears  to  be  reasonable.  If  space  is  first  re- 
lieved of  whatever  fills  it,  natural  law  will  operate  to  assist  in  re- 
placing that  which  is  removed  by  the  particular  substance  arranged 
at  hand  to  serve  as  new  filling.  Nature  abhors  a  vacuum.  But 
there  is  a  difference  between  theory  and  practice.  The  question  is, 
can  the  new  filling  be  properly  provided  and  adjusted?  Another 
vacuum  tannage  has  been  patented  by  Lanvin  Schruen.  It  is  de- 
scribed by  the  London  Leather  Trades  Circular  and  Review.  The 
machinery  employed  is  a  vessel  which  can  be  hermetically  sealed  at 
will  and*  which  contains  frames  on  which  are  hung  the  hides,  and 
to  which  a  rocky  motion  is  given  by  means  of  a  rod  passing  through 
the  side  and  connected  with  an  eccentric.  A  reservoir  of  tanning 
liquor  is  connected  with  a  high-level  vat,  into  which  the  liquor  is 
pumped,  from  whence  it  runs  down  into  the  tanning  vessel,  passes 
through  it  into  the  reservoir  below,  to  be  again  pumped  up  and  so 
keep  up  a  circulation  of  tanning  liquor  amongst  the  hanging  and  os- 
cillating hides.  By  means  of  stopping  the  communication  between 
the  high  and  low  level  reservoirs  the  air  may  be  exhaustively 
pumped  out  of  the  tanning  vessel  and  the  hides  subjected  to  va- 
cuum tanning,  as  ordinarily  understood,  by  the  tanning  liquid  be- 
ing allowed  to  rush  into  the  vacuum  and  rapidly  penetrate  the 
pores  of  the  hides.  The  processes  in  alternation  are  claimed  by 
the  inventor.  Vacuum  processes  either  in  the  strict  or  modified 
form  were  patented  as  far  back  as  1857,  and  Bason's  patent  of  1859 
provided  an  air-tight  tanning  vessel,  in  which  revolved  a  frame  car- 
rying the  hides.  Air  was  exhausted  and  tan  liquid  supplied  to 
rush  in  at  the  proper  moment  and  fill  its  place,  pressure  being  af- 
terward used  to  still  further  force  the  tannage.  Hamer,  in  1863, 
employed  an  air-tight  box  containing  a  rocking  frame  for  the  hides, 
and  in  1866  Macrum  used  the  alternated  process  of  air  and  whole 
or  partial  vacuum.  This  inventor  claimed  both  pneumatic  and  hy- 
drostatic pressure  in  his  processes. 

ANAI^YSIS    OF   TANNIC    ACID. 

There  are,  indeed,  at  the  present  time,  very  few  people  who 
deny  the  value  of  science  in  the  development  of  industry.  In 
many  branches  of  industry  the  investigations  of  science  have 
brought  forth  undeniable  practical  results. 

But  one  of  the  branches  which,  in  this  respect,  has  been  rather 
neglected,  is  the  tanning  industry.     This  has  developed  almost  ex- 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  193 


clusively  through  practical  experience,  and  has,  up  to  the  present^ 
received  but  little  aid  from  science. 

And  yet  chemistry  enters  upon  this  field  largely.  "It  is  skill, 
not  force,  chemical  knowledge,  not  steam  power  which  is  princi- 
pally, in  the  future,  to  accelerate  and  cheapen  the  process  of  tanning. 
Our  inventors  must  aim  to  be  good  chemists,  as  they  are  already 
good  mechanics." 

The  discovery  that  bark  had  the  effect  of  converting  the  skins 
of  animals  into  leather  was  doubtless  the  result  of  accident,  and  the 
principles  of  its  action  have  been  nearly  unknown  up  to  the  pres- 
ent century.  This  mainly  is  due  to  the  fact  that  chemistry  itself 
in  this  special  branch  is  insufficiently  developed. 

We  have  reached  the  point  at  which  we  can,  with  confidence, 
state  that  tanning  is  accomplished  by  tannic  acid,  under  which  name 
the  chemists  include  a  number  of  non-nitrogeneous  substances, 
consisting  of  carbon,  hydrogen  and  oxygen,  possessing  no  smell, 
but  a  well  marked  astringent  taste,  and  producing  characteristic 
precipitates  in  solutions  of  metallic  salts,  principally  those  of  ferric 
salts,  also  a  tendency  toward  precipitating  gelatin  matters  and  con- 
verting hides  into  leather. 

About  the  chemical  nature  of  these  substances  we  have  but 
little  knowledge.  In  fact,  the  only  true  chemical  form  and  combi- 
nation of  tannic  acid  that  is  known,  is  the  one  contained  in  nutgall, 
the  gallo-tannic  acid  or  tannin,  the  real  character  of  which  was 
discovered  in  1871,  through  the  investigation  and  analysis  of  H. 
Schiff.  He  proved  that  the  formula  of  tannin  was  Ci4  Hio  O9,  viz.: 
Fourteen  atoms  carbon,  ten  hydrogen,  and  nine  oxygen,  and  not, 
as  previously  supposed,  a  glucoside,  but  what  chemists  would 
term  digallic  acid.  The  tannic  acids  of  other  substances  were 
a  long  time  considered  identical  with  tannin  ;  but  a  more  thorough 
investigation  has  enabled  us  to  separate  them  in  many  varieties. 

Among  these  the  tannic  acids  contained  in  oak  and  hemlock 
bark  have  probably  been  of  the  most  practical  value,  but  we  are 
still  in  ignorance  as  to  the  chemical  combination  of  these. 

Thus  we  find,  in  examining  some  of  the  best  analyses  of  oak 
bark,  that,  according  to  Etti,  the  tannic  acids  of  oak  bark  are  des- 
ignated as  follows  :  C17  Hie  O9,  according  to  Boettinger,  C19  His 
Oio,  and  Oser  C20  Hsd  Oh. 

We  know  still  less  about  the  tannic  acids  of  other  barks,  as 
spruce  and  hemlock,  for  example. 


194  LEATHER  rvIANUFACTURE. 

It  is  not  surprising,  under  such  circumstances,  that  the  meth- 
ods of  analyzing  tannic  acid  are,  as  yet,  very  unsatisfactory. 

The  many  different  methods  existing,  unerringly  show  the  im- 
portance of  a  true  knowledge  of  the  real  nature  of  these  acids — a 
knowledge  which  is  of  unquestionable  value  to  the  practical  tan- 
ner, enabling  him  to  learn  the  exact  percentage  of  tanning  proper- 
ties contained  in  the  material  he  uses,  as  well  as  the  real  strength 
of  liquors  used  in  his  tannery. 

For  these  reasons  we  have  considered  it  to  be  of  some  interest 
to  the  tanners  of  the  United  States  to  have  the  facts  and  results  of 
some  analyses  of  hemlock  liquors  and  barks  made  known  to  the 
public.  These  analyses  are  the  result  of  visits  to  some  of  the  prin- 
cipal tanneries  of  hemlock  sole  leather  throughout  Pennsylvania 
and  New  York,  during  a  journey,  undertaken  with  the  aim  of  in- 
vestigating and  studying  the  tanning  industries  of  America,  at  the 
expense  of  the  Swedish  government. 

I  am  entirely  justified  in  publishing  the  result  of  these  analy- 
ses, as  they  are  made  wholly  at  the  expense  of  myself  and  Gabriel 
Hallstrom,  of  La  Porte,  Pa.,  and  I  do  it  most  willingly,  because 
the  courtesy  I  have  received  at  the  different  tanneries  has  been  the 
most  cordial,  and  any  information  wanted  by  me  has  been  most 
cheerfully  and  unhesitatingly  furnished. 

But,  before  we  proceed  further,  it  seems  proper  to  present  a 
summary  of  the  different  methods  now  in  use ;  also,  to  explain 
thoroughly  the  one  used  in  these  analyses. — Landin,  in  Scottish 
Leather  Trader. 

Tanning  extracts  and  materiai^s. 

Abstract  of  a  lecture  delivered  to  the  German  Tanners'  Associa- 
tion by  Mr.  W,  Eitner,  director  of  the  Vienna  Experimental  Sta- 
tion : 

This  subject  is  an  important  question  in  modern  tanning,  a 
question  which  is  looked  upon  by  some  tanners  as  satisfactorily 
decided,  while  others  consider  it  yet  open  for  discussion.  We  will, 
therefore,  review  the  matter  by  first  explaining  the  application  of 
tanning  extracts  ;  then  how  the  extracts  are  obtained  from  different 
materials,  and  how  well  they  are  adapted  to  cause  that  transforma- 
tion in  our  leather  industry  which  is  necessary  to  enable  it  to  com- 
pete on  the  world's  markets.  After  that  has  been  settled  to  our 
satisfaction,  we  will  proceed  to  discuss  the  most  rational  method 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  195 

for  manufacture  of  leather  by  means  of  extracts  from  the  different 
tanning  materials,  and  the  circumstances  under  which  their  appli- 
cation is  most  suitable. 

It  is  not  very  long  ago  when  every  continental  tanner  sneered 
at  extracts,  and  proclaimed  them  as  entirely  unsuited  to  the  exist- 
ing conditions,  although  American  and  English  tanners  had  long 
ago  used  them,  and  by  their  products  demonstrated  that  such 
tanning  methods  not  only  satisfied  the  home  demand,  but  were 
fully  able  to  compete  with  others  upon  the  world's  markets. 

Of  course  the  products  obtained  by  English  and  American  ex- 
tract tanning  differed  somewhat  from  those  produced  under  the  old 
system,  and  these  differences  were  magnified  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  leather  was  decried  as  unfit  for  our  use,  and  altogether 
harmless  so  far  as  competition  was  concerned.  But  this  soon 
proved  to  be  a  mistake  ;  the  extract  tanned  leathers  were,  in  the 
beginning,  purchased  on  account  of  their  cheap  prices  ;  later  on 
when  it  was  demonstrated  that  the  material  was  good,  the  demand 
increased  and  our  tanning  interests  was  reduced  so  low  that  high 
tariffs  against  this  invasion  of  extract-tanned  leathers  were  intro- 
duced in  the  different  countries.  Not  until  then  did  the  tanning 
by  extracts  receive  any  attention,  and  experiments  made  proved, 
in  part,  satisfactory',  while  others  were  failures.  Opinions  about 
the  efficiency  of  the  new  method  began  to  differ,  although  they  had 
been  unanimous  in  its  condemnation  before.  The  good  results  in- 
creased in  number  with  more  experience,  gaining  new  advocates  at 
every  step,  so  that,  taken  all  in  all,  it  appears  to  be  only  a  question 
of  time,  when  all  the  tanneries  in  continental  Europe  shall  use  ex- 
tract.    At  present  we  find  ourselves  in  a  transition  stage. 

The  oldest  method  of  extract  tanning  is  the  English.  Here  all 
uppers  and  lighter  skins  are  tanned  exclusively  by  extract ;  heavy 
leathers  only  have,  towards  the  latter  part  of  the  tanning  process, 
a  small  quantity  of  solid  tanning  material  added  to  the  baths. 
The  first  preparation  is  made  in  a  vessel  which  holds  about  twenty 
to  twenty-five  hides,  and  has  an  internal  rotatory  device  by  means 
of  which  the  hides  are  kept  floating  in  the  bath,  and  are  constantly 
in  motic  J.  In  this  they  are  kept  about  six  hours.  After  that  the 
tanning  itself  commences,  which  is  divided  into  several  groups, 
each  of  which  contains  from  six  to  eight  baths.  The  baths  of  the 
first  group  are  mostly  made  from  the  exhausted  liquids  of  the  later 


196  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

groups,  to  which  a  little  weak  fresh  extract  has  been  added.  A 
grading  of  these  earlier  baths  is  impossible,  because  the  old  liquids 
hold  many  substances,  the  presence  of  which  is  not  due  to  the  tan- 
ning material.  Besides  this,  a  grading  would  here  be  useless  and. 
uncertain,  and  it  is  best  left  to  the  practical  experience  of  the  tan- 
ner to  determine  what  action  the  bath  exerts.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  we  are  so  situated  that  we  can  analyze  the  bath  for  tannin,  we 
do  not  find  it  a  very  difl&cult  matter  to  obtain  a  correct  estimation 
of  the  complicated  liquid. 

The  skins  remain  in  the  first  baths  only  for  one  day  and  are 
then  placed  into  other  vessels  which  contain  the  next  stronger  bath, 
made  in  parts  from  fresh  but  weak  extracts  and  in  parts  from  later 
exhausted  baths.  The  first  shift  is  finished  in  eight  days.  In  the 
second  shift,  which  is  again  divided  into  a  series  of  eight  baths,  the 
skins  are  treated  in  the  same  manner  as  the  first ;  here  also  the 
liquids  of  later  baths  are  utilized,  to  which  some  stronger  extract 
is  added. 

The  second  as  well  as  the  third  shift,  which  is  manipulated  in 
the  same  way,  take  up  from  eight  to  nine  days  each,  during  which 
time  the  hides  are  placed  every  day,  and  sometimes  twice  a  day, 
into  a  stronger  bath.  These  three  shifts  of  the  English  extract 
tanning  do  not  differ  very  much  from  our  own  method.  The  dif- 
ference consists  principally  that  the  English  baths  are  richer  in 
tannin  but  poorer  in  acids  than  ours  and  that  their  strength  can  be 
increased  in  a  systematic  way  and  in  shorter  periods.  In  the  Eng- 
lish as  well  as  the  continental  methods  it  will  be  difiBcult  to  obtain 
any  correct  estimation  of  the  strength  of  the  bath  by  means  of  the 
hydrometer.  This  is  better  left  to  the  practical  experience  of  the 
tanner  himself.  The  strength  obtained  by  this  instrument  is  not 
reliable  and  often  differs  in  extracts  of  identical  tannin  contents  ob- 
tained from  different  materials.  So,  for  instance,  fir  extract  of  the 
same  absolute  strength  has  a  higher  specific  gravity  and  conse- 
quently would  give  a  high  gradation  by  the  hydrometer  than  oak 
or  valonia  extract.  The  grading  is,  in  addition  to  this,  affected, 
whether  change  of  baths  take  place  regularly  or  not.  We  can 
well  start  with  the  basis  that  during  the  second  shift  the  difference 
in  strength  between  the  first  and  eighth  bath  must  not  be  large, 
never  more  than  four  degrees.  This  would  be  equivalent  to  o.  3  to 
0.4  per  cent  in  tannin.  These  figures  demonstrate  very  conclu- 
sively that  the  increase  in  the  strength  of  the  baths  in  the  earlier 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  197 

Stages  of  tannin  is  exceedingly  small.  During  the  third  shift  the 
baths  are  made  a  little  stronger.  The  difference  between  the  first 
and  eighth  is  six  degrees  or  one-half  per  cent  of  tannin,  so  that  at 
the  end  of  the  third  shift  the  bath  registers  ten  to  twelve  degrees  or 
one  per  cent  tannin.  The  last  bath  in  the  first  shift  contains  gen- 
erally 0.25  per  cent  of  tannin,  but  registers  many  more  degrees 
than  its  equivalent.  The  last  bath  of  the  second  shift  contains 
about  0.6  per  cent  of  tannin  and  will  register  about  eight  degrees. 
But  baths,  as  well  as  their  successive  increase  in  strength,  depend 
largely  upon  the  hides  to  be  tanned.  The  above  figures  apply  to 
ox  hides  and  oak  or  valonia  extracts.  Buffalo  hides  need  stronger 
baths  and  a  more  rapid  increase  of  strength.  Upper  leathers,  es- 
pecially calfskins,  must  be  kept  milder.  Horsehides,  again,  can 
be  treated  in  stronger  baths  and  with  a  rapid  increase  of  strength. 

A  STUFFED  HUMAN    SKIN. 

Vienna  cable  to  New  York  World:  Few  persons  are  aware 
that  until  a  short  time  ago  the  natural  history  collection  in  the  im- 
perial palace  at  Vienna  included  among  its  most  remarkable  curi- 
osities the  stuffed  hide  of  a  human  being.  The  recent  discussion 
concerning  the  card  cases  manufactured  at  Paris,  of  the  murderer 
Pranzini's  skin,  has  recalled  attention  to  the  fact,  and  to  the  ro- 
mantic history  of  the  man  who  has  so  long  figured  in  the  Austrian 
emperor's  private  museum.  The  name  of  the  original  owner  of 
the  hide  was  Angelo  Soliman,  who,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
he  was  a  coal  black  negro  from  the  Soudanese  tribe  of  the  Gallas, 
was  nevertheless  the  ancestor  and  grandfather  of  several  of  the 
most  noted  members  of  the  Viennese  aristocracy. 

One  of  his  grandsons  is  the  Baron  Ernst  Von  Feuchtersleben, 
who  held  a  cabinet  office  for  several  years,  as  imperial  minister  for 
the  public  worship  department.  Another  of  his  grandsons,  the 
Baron  Edouard  Von  Feuchtersleben,  is  a  celebrated  author  and 
poet,  while  several  of  his  great-grandsons  hold  high  rank  in  the 
imperial,  diplomatic  and  military  service.  On  two  days  a  week 
until  quite  lately  these  members  of  the  Austrian  nobility  had  the 
extraordinary  privilege  of  being  able  to  visit  their  stuffed  ancestor, 
who,  seated  in  an  arm  chair,  with  his  perfectly  preserved  features 
and  staring  glass  eyes,  presented  a  most  life-like  and  uncanny  ap- 
pearance.    The  history  of  Angelo  Soliman  is  as  follows  : 

In  the  year  1740  Prince  Lobkowitz,  one  of  the  principal  genet- 


198  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

als  in  the  imperial  Austrian  army,  happened,  while  visiting  the 
city  of  Messina,  Sicily,  to  have  his  attention  drawn  to  a  little 
seven-year-old  negro  boy  who  was  acting  as  page  to  one  of  the 
noble  ladies  of  the  place.  The  child  was  asserted  to  be  the  off- 
spring of  a  native  king,  and  was  said  to  have  been  kidnapped  from 
his  home  and  sold  as  a  slave  at  Cairo.  By  some  means  or  other 
he  had  come  into  the  hands  of  a  sea  captain  trading  between 
Alexandria  and  Sicily,  who  had  brought  him  to  Messina  and  pre- 
sented him  to  the  lady  in  question.  The  latter  had  caused  him  to 
be  baptized  by  the  name  of  Angelo  Soliman.  Prince  L,obkowitz 
took  a  great  fancy  to  the  boy,  and  persuaded  the  lady  to  let  him 
have  the  child  and  take  him  into  his  service.  Angelo  followed  his 
new  master  everywhere,  was  present  with  him  throughout  all  the 
campaigns,  and  received  a  most  careful  education. 

On  the  death  of  the  general,  he  entered  the  service  of  Prince 
Ivichtenstein,  as  tutor  of  the  latter' s  children.  Angelo  had  become 
a  remarkably  learned  man.  He  spoke  perfectly  several  languages, 
French,  Italian,  German,  L-atin  and  Czech.  Although  of  small 
stature  he  was  wonderfully  well  built ;  his  features,  although  as 
black  as  charcoal,  were  of  a  Caucasian  rather  than  of  an  Ethiopian 
cast,  and  his  hair,  beard  and  mustache  were  silky  and  curly.  His 
manners  were  distinguished  by  the  most  exquisite  courtesy,  and, 
dressed  in  his  flowing  oriental  robes  and  snow  white  turban,  he 
was  one  of  the  most  popular  members  of  the  best  Viennese  society  of 
the  day.  A  noble  widow,  the  Baroness  de  Ochristianne,  fell 
deeply  in  love  with  him,  and  in  due  time  a  marriage  took  place. 
For  some  reason  or  other  Prince  lyiechtenstein  viewed  the  union 
with  disfavor,  and  quarreled  with  Angelo,  who  thereupon  left  his 
service. 

He  was,  however,  very  comfortably  off,  for  not  only  was  his 
wife  very  wealthy,  but  he  himself  had  just  a  short  time  before  won 
the  principal  prize  of  20,000  florins  in  the  Frankfort  state  lottery. 
He  purchased  a  pretty  house  and  garden  in  the  suburbs  of  Vienna, 
and  lived  there  most  happily  with  his  wife,  devoting  himself  to 
the  education  of  his  daughter  Josephine,  the  only  issue  of  the  mar- 
riage. The  young  girl  was  one  of  the  most  fascinating  and  beauti- 
ful types  of  the  mulatto  imaginable,  and  after  refusing  a  large 
number  of  offers,  at  length  gave  her  hand  in  marriage  to  one  of  the 
imperial  counselors  of  state,  the  Baron  Von  Feuchtersleben,  from 
whom  the  present  bearers  of  the  name  and  title  are  descended  in 


VALUABLE  IXFORMATIOX.  199 

direct  line.  Angelo,  who  had  before  his  death  become  reconciled 
to  the  Iviechtenstein  family,  went  over  to  the  great  majority  in 
1796,  being  75  years  old  at  the  time. 

The  emperor,  who  had  always  shown  a  great  fancy  for  An- 
gelo, conceived  the  peculiar  idea  of  preserving  his  old  friend, 
stuffed  and  in  a  glass  case.  Strange  to  relate,  Angelo's  family,  far 
from  being  offended,  expressed  themselves  highly  flattered  by  the 
imperial  request,  and  immediately  consented  to  surrender  the  re- 
mains to  the  court  taxidermists.  After  having  a  cast  made  of  his 
face  and  body  by  the  famous  sculptor,  Franz  Thaller,  the  skin  was 
carefully  removed  from  the  body,  subjected  to  a  number  of  chemi- 
cal preparations,  and  finally  stuffed  with  great  care.  It  is  only 
quite  recently  that  this  somewhat  uncanny  object  has  disappeared 
from  the  imperial  collection,  owing,  if  I  remember  rightly,  to  its 
having  been  almost  destroyed  by  the  rats  and  mice. 

TANNIN    FROM   CANAIGRE. 

While  men  are  endeavoring  to  collect  materials  for  use  in  man- 
ufacturing, and  imitate  natural  products  to  accomplish  certain  re- 
sults without  manufacturing,  nature,  in  her  efforts  to  maintain  her 
prestige,  presents  other  materials  to  supersede  or  take  the  place  of 
those  being  exhausted.  Tanners,  like  members  of  all  other  im- 
portant industries,  are  daily  importuned  to  try  new  materials  for 
accomplishing  certain  results  ;  thus,  we  have  a  variety  of  prepara- 
tions, good,  bad,  and  indifferent,  while  some  have  a  positive  per- 
nicious tendency.  It  is  plainly  a  matter  of  grave  importance  that 
great  care  is  exercised  in  the  selection  of  tanning  materials,  especi- 
ally from  the  many  brands  now  on  the  market  of  artificial  pro- 
cesses. 

A  new  candidate  for  tanners'  favor  is  the  canaigre  root,  from 
Northwestern  Texas.  The  roots  are  from  four  to  six  inches  long, 
by  about  an  inch  in  diameter ;  they  resemble  sweet  potatoes  in 
form  and  general  appearance.  In  transverse  sections  they  are  of  a 
bright  lemon  color,  getting  red-brown  by  exposure  to  the  air.  As 
analyzed  by  a  chemist  of  Galveston,  they  were  found  to  contain  : 

Dry.         Green. 

Water 11. 17  68.07 

Tannic  acid 26.30  8.50 

This  tannic  acid  is  the  variety  known  as  rheo-tannic  acid,  and 
is  identical  with  that  existing  in   rhubarb.     In   many   respects 


200  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

canaigree  root  resembles  rhubarb,  and  the  following  analysis  has 
been  made  with  a  view  to  determine,  if  possible,  the  value  of 
canaigre  root,  either  as  a  tanning  material  or  a  medicinal  sub- 
stance. The  following  are  the  percentages,  extracted  by  solvents 
from  the  air-dried  root,  which  contains  1 1 . 1 7  per  cent  of  moisture, 
as  estimated  by  Prof  Elsom  : 

Cold  water ,    .41.48     Petroleum  ether  .    .    .      .90 

Alcohol,  98  per  cent  .    .    .44.01     Chloroform 92 

Alcohol,  85  per  cent  .    .    .48.19     Carbon  disulphide  .    .       .96 

Ether  extracts  varying  amounts,  according  to  the  time  it  is  al- 
lowed to  act.  It  will  be  observed  that  petroleum  ether,  chloroform 
and  carbon  disulphide  extract  nearly  the  same  amounts.  The  ex- 
tract thus  obtained  was  a  yellow,  soft,  solid  substance,  freely 
soluble  in  alcohol  ether,  benzole,  carbon  disulphide  and  chloro- 
form ;  insoluble  in  water.  Its  solutions  have  a  faintly  acid  reaction. 
It  is  soluble  in  greater  part,  in  alkaline  hydrates  ;  with  a  beautiful 
pink  to  carmine  color.  Its  faintly  alkaline  amoniacal  solution  pre- 
cipitates acetate  of  lead,  pink  and  reduces  potassium  permanganate 
in  the  cold,  and  apparently  reduces  silvernitrate.  This  substance 
has  been  called ye/iow  resin  in  this  analysis,  although  it  may  obtain 
traces  of  oil,  chrysophanic  acid  and  emodin.  Alcohol  extracts  the 
above  yellow  resin  and  a  red-brown  substance,  in  some  particulars 
resembling  the  erythroretin  of  Schlossberger  and  Dopping. 

This  substance,  when  dried,  is  a  brittle,  red-brown  solid,  not 
fusible  on  the  water  bath  ;  soluble  in  alcohol  and  diluted  alcohol  ; 
insoluble  in  water,  and  nearly  insoluble  in  either  chloroform,  ben- 
zole, petroleum  ether,  carbon  disulphide.  With  alkaline  hydrates 
it  dissolves  to  a  purplish-red  solution  ;  excess  of  acid  re-precipitates 
the  substance.  Alcohol  also  extracts  the  rheo-tannic  acid,  already 
mentioned,  together  with  some  sugar,  and  a  red  substance  soluble 
in  water. 

Water  extracts  this  red  coloring  matter,  a  brownish  coloring 
matter,  insoluble  in  alcohol,  ether,  fat,  together  with  gum,  pectin 
and  sugar. 

Dilute  potassium  hydrate,  used  after  the  substance  had  been 
thoroughly  extracted  by  alcohol  and  water,  was  colored  a  dark, 
purplish  red. 

When  acidified,  the  solution  precipitates  blocks  of  a  deep,  red- 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  201 

brown  matter,  much  resembling  the  red  substance  extracted  by 
alcohol,  but  differing  from  it  in  being  insoluble  in  alcohol. 

In  all  these  particulars  this  substance  exactly  corresponds  with 
aporetin,  and,  accordingly,  it  has  been  so  designated  in  this  anal- 
ysis. 

The  root  contains  considerable  starch  ;  the  starch  grains  were 
medium  sized,  round  and  ovate.  The  starch  was  converted  into 
glucose  by  dilute  sulphuric  acid,  and  estimated  from  the  glucose 
formed.  Albuinoids  were  calculated  from  the  total  nitrogen,  by 
combustion  with  soda-lime. 

Cellulose  was  determined  in  the  residue  after  the  extractions  of 
all  the  above  named  substances.  Moisture,  from  loss  of  weight,  at 
no  to  112  degrees,  C;  ash,  by  simple  combustion. 

The  figures  given  are  for  free  ash  substances;  and  direct  esti- 
mations were  made  in  every  case,  except  for  sugar  and  "  red  sub- 
stance soluble  in  water.  Oxalic  and  malic  acids  were  not  esti- 
mated. 

ANALYSIS   OF   CANAIGRE. 

Emodine .  Trace 

Yellow  resin 93 

Red  substance,  soluble  in  alcohol 10,48 

Red  substance,  soluble  in  water ) 

Sugar I  ^°-44 

Rheo  tannic  acid 23.45 

Gum,  pectin  brown  color 6.41 

Albuinoids 6.21 

Aporetin 4.78 

Starch .    .    .  18.00 

Cellulose 4.52 

Ash 4.38 

Moisture 11. 17 

99-77 
Whether  this  root  is  valuable,  either  for  tanning  purposes  or  for 
medicinal  use, [must  be  determinedjby  actual  experiments.  The  re- 
sult of  the  analysis  fails  to  show  the  presence  of  any  substances 
that  would  prove  injurious  to  leather,  and  the  large  proportion  of 
tannic  acid  is  a  favorable  indication.  In  many  particulars,  this 
root  resembles  rhubarb,  and  it  seems  probable  that  it  may  be  used 
to  advantage  in  place  of  rhubarb,  where  a  more  astringent  medi- 
cine is  indicated. 


203  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

The  rapid  change  of  the  fresh  root  from  yellow  to  brown,  may- 
be due  to  the  change  of  yellow  resin  into  the  less  soluble  red-brown 
substances.  Prop.  J.  F.  Ei,som. 

SPONTANEOUS   COMBUSTION   OF  LAMPBLACK. 

Fires  occurring  from  spontaneous  ignition  of  vegetable  black 
are  very  common.  Oily  rags  are  more  liable  to  self-ignition  during 
the  summer  after  a  continuance  of  dry,  warm  weather.  A  sudden 
storm  or  a  shower  of  rain  appears  to  give  life,  as  it  were,  to  the 
parched-up  matter,  and  a  fire  is  the  result.  It  has  been  also  no- 
ticed that  the  reverse  occurs  after  a  continuance  of  wet  weather. 
A  few  days,  sometimes,  are  sufficient  to  set  up  active  and  rapid 
combustion,  especially  among  sweepings  in  paint  and  oil  stores, 
consisting  generally  of  wood  dust,  dried  vegetable  and  animal  pow- 
der, colors  more  or  less  saturated  with  varnish,  turpentine,  oils, 
etc.  I^ampblack,  if  packed  in  a  leaky  cask  when  freshly  prepared, 
condenses  the  atmospheric  gases  on  its  surface,  which,  owing  to 
the  porous  nature  of  the  substance,  is  very  large  in  proportion  to 
its  weight.  In  condensation  the  gases  give  out  a  certain  amount 
of  heat,  which,  under  favorable  circumstances,  is  sufficient  to  cause 
the  ignition  of  some  inflammable  substance  accidentally  present, 
which,  by  combining  with  the  condensed  oxygen,  liberates  heat 
enough  to  cause  the  ignition  of  vegetable  black,  which,  when  once 
started,  soon  spreads  until  the  contents  of  the  cask  become  red  hot. 

This  spontaneous  ignition  is  not  infrequent  in  many  large  car- 
riage factories,  and  builders'  shops  have  been  destroyed  solely 
from  this  cause.  To  put  it  in  printed  paper  would  insure  ignition 
from  the  absorption  of  oil  in  the  printing  ink  by  the  lampblack, 
generating  gas  which  would  soon  ignite  the  soot  or  lampblack. 
One  among  many  instances  of  well  attested  cases  of  spontaneous 
ignition  is  described  in  the  Paint,  Oil  and  Drug  Review.  It  oc- 
curred at  a  large  carriage  works  at  Grantham,  England,  in  a  shop 
far  away  from  fire  or  the  chances  of  a  spark.  The  paint  shop  was 
gradually  illuminated  on  a  mild  summer's  evening  during  daylight. 
It  was  noticed  through  the  workshop  windows,  and  was  seen  to  be 
a  tub  of  loose  lampblack  slowly  consuming  the  cask.  It  was  easily 
carried  out  on  to  the  grass  to  finish  its  work.  It  was  thought  that, 
being  near  the  grinding-paint  stone,  some  oil  had  been  splashed, 
into  it,  or  an  oily  rag  dropped  into  the  lampblack.  The  secret  was 
soon  found  out  by  the  palette  knife  being  found  among  the  ashes 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  203 


of  the  cask,  having  been  carelessly  dropped  in  with  some  wet 
paint  on  it ;  or  even  without  any  wet  paint,  the  dry,  oily  paint 
which  accumulates  on  the  blade  near  the  handle  would  be  sufficient 
to  cause  ignition.  It  is  not  the  large  quantity  of  oil,  but  the  small 
quantity,  which  is  the  cause  of  it.  This  is  so  well  known  that 
some  coach  makers,  when  they  receive  lampblack,  put  it  into  a 
sound  cask,  and  pour  enough  linseed  oil  into  it  to  saturate  the 
whole. — Scientific  American. 

TANNING   BY   ELECTRICITY. 

Making  leather  is  now  essentially  the  same  in  principle  as  it 
was  in  the  days  of  Pharaoh.  Improvements  have  been  made  in 
the  methods  of  depilating,  or  removing  the  hair  from  hides  and 
skins,  and  machinery  helps  to  forward  the  work  in  both  tanning 
and  finishing,  but  the  aid  of  a  vegetable  astringent— tannic  acid- 
is  necessary  in  combination  with  the  gelatine  of  the  hide  to  make 
true  leather.  And  this  is  a  long  operation,  requiring,  for  sole  lea- 
ther, from  four  to  eight  months,  and  the  lighter  harness  and  upper 
leathers  less  in  proportion .  It  is  now  claimed  that  this  long  tanning 
process  can  be  shortened  by  electricity,  and  an  English  patent  has 
been  issued  with  this  object.  It  is  well  known  that  hides  being 
' '  sweated  ' '  for  unhairing  give  off  a  great  deal  of  ammonia,  from  the 
combination  of  the  nitrogen  of  the  gelatinous  tissue  with  hydrogen. 
This  process  of  decomposition  is  immediately  checked  when  the 
hides  go  into  the  tan  liquors,  but  the  precise  chemical  reactions 
which  take  place  in  the  vats  have  never  been  clearly  understood. 
In  heavy  sole  leather  it  is  claimed  that,  in  many  cases,  tannin  is 
deposited  by  precipitation  in  the  hide  cells,  besides  that  which  is 
directly  taken  up  by  combination  with  the  gelatine. 

The  new  process  proposes  to  hasten  the  tanning  by  enhancing 
chemical  affinity  by  means  of  electrical  currents,  and  thus  making 
these  reactions  more  active.  The  method  is  to  pass  a  current  of 
electricity  through  the  vats  containing  the  tannin  infusion  and  the 
hides.  The  vat  becomes  simply  a  large  voltameter,  in  which 
gases  are  evolved  by  the  decomposition  of  water — hydrogen  at 
the  cathode  and  oxygen  at  the  anode.  The  arrangements  are  such 
that  the  hydrogen  alone  acts  upon  the  hides,  where  it  rapidly  com- 
bines with  the  nitrogen  of  the  tissues  and  produces  decomposition 
of  the  gelatinous  matters.  After  a  short  period,  according  to  the 
usual  manner  of  changing  tan  liquors,  the  solution  of  tannin  is  re- 


204  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

placed  by  a  more  concentrated  one,  and  the  current  is  reversed  in 
direction,  so  that  oxygen  is  evolved  among  the  hides,  where  it 
oxidizes  the  tannin  and  precipitates  it  in  the  pores  and  intercellu- 
lar spaces  in  the  tissues. 

CUTCH   AND   wattle;   BARKS. 

The  acacia  family  of  plants  is  an  important  one  to  tanners  in 
many  parts  of  the  world,  and  especially  in  extra-tropical  countries. 
In  America  our  abundant  supply  of  oak  and  hemlock  bark  pre- 
vents, to  a  great  extent,  large  importations  of  tannins  derived  from 
any  of  the  members  of  the  numerous  family  of  acacia.  But  in  coun- 
tries such  as  Great  Britain  and  those  of  the  continent  which  are  not 
so  favorably  situated  as  the  United  States,  the  importations  of  terra 
japonica,  derived  from  acacia  barks  and  heartwoods,  are  very  large. 
Acacia  catechu  is  indigenous  to  India  and  Africa  up  to  an  al- 
titude of  about  3,000  feet,  and  the  extract  prepared  from  the  bark 
and  heartwood  of  this  tree  is  the  cutch  of  the  tanner,  four  tons  of 
the  bark  producing  one  ton  of  cutch  or  terra  japonica.  Acacia  ca- 
venia  is  the  espino  of  the  present  inhabitants  of  Chili  and  the  cavan 
of  the  former  population.  The  tree  is  a  small  one,  but  the  wood  is 
very  hard  and  resists  underground  moisture,  the  husks  yielding 
about  thirty-two  per  cent  of  tannin. 

Acacia  cebil  is  indigenous  to  the  La  Plata  states  and  is  a  very 
valuable  tree  on  account  of  its  bark,  which  yields  a  very  high  per 
cent  of  tannic  acid. 

Acacia  decurrens,  commonly  known  as  the  black  wattle,  is  a 
medium-sized  tree  and  flourishes  from  the  eastern  part  of  South 
Australia,  through  Victoria  and  New  South  Wales,  to  the  southern 
part  of  Queensland. 

The  richness  of  this  bark  in  tannin  and  the  yield  of  a  gum  sim- 
ilar to  gum  arable  make  the  black  wattle  a  ver}'^  valuable  tree.  In 
Melbourne  the  price  of  the  bark  averages  about  $25  per  ton,  the 
price  in  England  ranging  usually  from  $40  to  $55  per  ton.  Mel- 
bourne tanners  commonly  consider  one  ton  of  black  wattle  bark 
sufficient  to  tan  twenty-five  to  thirty  hides,  the  bark  being  best 
adapted  for  sole  leather  and  other  heavy  tannages,  the  leather  pro- 
duced with  it  being  considered  equally  as  durable  as  that  tanned 
with  oak  bark  and  nearly  as  good  in  color.  It  is  claimed  that  one 
and  one-half  pound  of  black  wattle  bark  will  give  one  pound  of 
leather,  whereas  five  pounds  of  English  oak  bark  are  requisite  for 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  205 

the  same  results,  but  the  tannic  principles  of  both  are  not  identi- 
cal. The  bark  of  the  black  wattle  varies  in  its  contents  of  tannin 
from  thirty  to  forty  per  cent  in  bark  artificially  dried.  But  in  the 
mercantile  bark  the  percentage  is  somewhat  less,  according  to  its 
state  of  dryness,  it  retaining  about  ten  per  cent  moisture.  From 
some  experiments  made  by  Von  Mueller,  of  Melbourne,  it  appears 
that  no  appreciable  difference  exists  in  the  percentage  of  tannin  in 
wattle  bark,  whether  obtained  in  the  dry  or  in  the  wet  season. 
The  bark  improves  by  age  and  desiccation  and  yields  about  forty 
per  cent  of  cutch,  slightly  more  than  one-half  of  which  is  tannic 
acid. 

With  ferric  salts  the  tannin  of  the  black  wattle  yields  a  gray 
precipitate  and  with  ferrous  salts  a  violet  color  is  produced.  By 
means  of  ■  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  the  tannin  is  completely 
thrown  down  from  a  strong  aqueous  solution.  When  there  is 
added  to  the  boiling  solution  of  mimosa  tannin  a  minute  quantity 
of  bichromate  of  potash  there  results  a  ruby-red  liquid  suitable  for 
dyeing  purposes,  and  this  solution  yields  black  pigments  when 
there  is  added  the  salts  of  sub-oxide  of  iron,  but  red-brown  dyes 
are  produced  by  the  addition  of  the  salts  of  the  full  oxide  of  iron. 

More  than  half  a  century  ago,  in  1823,  there  was  shipped  to 
lyondon  a  fluid  extract  of  wattle  bark  which  was  sold  there  for  the 
extraordinary  price  of  $250  per  ton,  one  ton  of  bark  yielding  four 
cwt.  of  extract  of  tar  consistence,  thus  greatly  economizing  in 
freight  and  cartage. 

There  are  numerous  methods  of  obtaining  the  tanning  extract 
from  the  bark.  One  process  consists  in  subjecting  the  bark  to 
hydraulic  pressure  and  evaporating  the  strong  liquid  thus  obtained 
in  wide  pans  under  steam  heat.  Or  a  preferable  plan  which  pre- 
vents decomposition  of  the  tannic  acid  is  to  effect  the  evaporation 
under  a  strong  current  of  cold  air.  The  evaporation  of  the  infu- 
sion for  cutch  or  terra  japonica  is  carefully  produced  by  means  of 
gentle  heat. 

An  expeditious  method  of  estimating  the  tannic  acid  in  acacia 
Dark  consists  in  filtering  the  aqueous  decoction  of  the  bark  after 
cooling  and  afterward  evaporating  the  solution,  and  then  re- 
dissolving  the  residue  in  alcohol  and  determining  the  weight  of 
the  tannic  principle  obtained  by  evaporating  the  filtered  alcoholic 
solution  to  perfect  dr     <;ss. 


206  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


Acacia  dealbata  is  commonly  known  among  the  colonists  of 
Australia  as  silver  wattle  and  its  bark  is  much  thinner  and  greatly- 
inferior  in  quality  to  that  of  the  black  wattle,  yielding  only  about 
one-half  the  quantity  of  tannin.  The  bark  of  the  silver  wattle  is 
chiefly  employed  for  tanning  light  and  medium  leathers,  such  as 
those  produced  from  kangaroo  skins,  etc. 

A  TALLOW  TREE. 

This  remarkable  tree  is  a  native  of  China.  In  the  island  of  Chu- 
san  quantities  of  oil  and  tallow  are  extracted  from  its  fruit,  which 
is  gathered  when  the  tree  has  lost  its  leaves.  The  twigs  bearing 
the  fruit  are  cut  down  and  carried  to  a  farmhouse,  where  the  seed 
is  stripped  oflf  and  put  into  a  wooden  cylindrical  box,  open  at  one 
end  and  pierced  with  holes  at  the  opposite  one.  The  box  is  then 
suspended  in  a  cylindrical  kettle  containing  .water,  and  the  dia- 
meter of  which  differs  but  little  from  that  of  the  box.  The  water 
is  then  made  to  boil,  and  the  steam,  penetrating  into  the  box, 
softens  the  seeds  and  facilitates  the  separation  of  the  tallow.  After 
about  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  exposure  to  steam  the  seeds  are  poured 
into  a  stone  mortar,  where  they  are  stirred  about  until  all  the  tal- 
low has  been  separated  in  a  semi-liquid  state.  It  is  afterwards 
poured  into  a  cylinder  with  a  hole  at  the  bottom,  through  which  it 
is  driven  by  the  action  of  a  press.  It  comes  out  perfectly  white, 
free  from  all  impurities,  and  soon  becomes  solid. 

LEATHER   BELTING. 

The  belting  industry  is  becoming  more  and  more  intimately  as- 
sociated with  tanning  processes  every  year,  so  much  so,  in  fact, 
that  many  of  the  larger  tanneries  have  introduced  under  the  super- 
vision of  practical  mechanics,  a  department  especially  devoted  to 
belts.  Ordinary  leather,  however,  as  made  in  the  small  country 
tanneries,  is  not  particularly  fit  for  heavy  belting,  and  many  users 
of  belts  complain  of  their  belts  doing  poor  service,  when  the  prin- 
cipal difficulty  is  their  own  ignorance  regarding  the  making  and 
management,  and  care  of.belts.  Every  concern  using  belts,  or,  in 
fact,  any  means  of  power  transmission  to  any  considerable  extent, 
should  be  started  under  the  direction  of  a  competent  engineer, 
even  though  the  knowledge  may  cost  considerable,  with  very  few 
exceptions  the  investment  will  be  found  a  paying  one.  The  writer 
of  this  article  has  never  known  a  prosperous  establishment  started 
that  had  ample  provisions  made  for  scarcely  a  horse-power  in  ad- 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION. 


207 


dition  to  the  original  plan,  and  in  the  great  majority  of  instances 
belts  and  gearings  are  figured  to  their  maximum  capacity  with 
minimum  motion,  whereas  the  terms  should  be  reversed  ;  for  after 
the  buildings  are  erected,  power  and  machinery  placed  in  position, 
generally  about  the  second  thing  to  do  is  to  hitch  on  another  ma- 
chine, when,  if  provisions  are  not  made  for  their  increased  de- 
mands, some  parts  will  be  subjected  to  too  great  a  strain  for  effec- 
tive service,  and  the  belts  generally  come  in  for  more  than  their 
share. 

Mr.  Arnold  in  his  "Mechanical  Principa,"  has  given  some 
valuable  data  on  the  velocity  and  driving  power  of  belts  which  are 
reproduced  below. 


REVOLUTION 
OF  SHAFT. 

DIAMETER    DRUM. 

2 

2>^ 

3 

zY^ 

4 

^Y 

5>^ 

lOO 

no 
1 20 

130 

140 

150 

160 

170 
180 
190 
200 

628 
690 

753 

816 

879 

942 

1,004 

1,067 

1,130 

1,193 
1,256 

785 

863 

942 

1,020 

1,099 

1,177 
1,256 

1,334 
1,413 
1,491 

1,570 

942 
1,036 
1,130 
1,224 
1,318 
1,413 
1,507 
1,601 

1,695 
1,789 
1,884 

1,099 
1,208 
1,318 

1,428 

1,538 
1,648 

1,758 
1,868 
1,978 
2,088 
2,198 

1,256 
1,381 
1,507 
1,632 

1,758 
1,884 
2,009 

2,135 
2,260 
2,386 
2,512 

1,413 
1,554 
1,695 
1,836 

1,978 
2,119 
2,260 
2,402 

2,543 
2,684 
2,826 

1,727 
1,899 
2,072 
2,245 
2,417 
2,590 
2,763 
2,935 
3, 108 
3,281 
3,454 

The  foregoing  table  shows  the  velocity  of  belts.  The  column 
headed  "Revolution  of  shaft"  shows  the  number  of  revolutions 
which  the  line  or  driven  shaft  is  supposed  to  make  per  minute. 
The  part  marked  '  'Diameter  drum' '  shows  the  diameter  of  the  drum 
on  the  line  of  the  driven  shaft. 

Should  it  be  desired  to  illustrate,  the  following  will  serve  as  an 
example  :  The  line  shaft  is  required  to  make  1 20  turns  per  min- 
ute, and  it  is  desired  the  belt  should  run  1,800  feet  per  minute  ;  re- 
quired the  diameter  of  the  drum  needed,  merely  find  120  in  the 
column  marked  revolutions  of  shaft,  opposite  to  this  number  in  the 
table  find  1,800,  or  the  nearest  number  to  it,  which  is  1,884  f^^t. 
Over  this  number  in  the  column  marked  diameter  drum  will  be 
found  the  diameter  of  the  drum  required. 


208  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


SIMPLE  INTEREST  RULES. 


Four  Per  Cent. — Multiply  the  principal  by  the  number  of  days 
to  run  ;  separate  the  right  hand  figure  from  the  product  and  divide 
by  nine. 

Five  Per  Cent. — Multiply  by  number  of  days  and  divide  by 
seventy-two. 

Six  Per  Cent. —  Multiply  by  number  of  days;  separate  right 
hand  figure,  and  divide  by  six. 

Seven  and  Three-Tenths  Per  Cent. — Multiply  by  number  of 
days ;  and  double  the  amount  so  obtained.  On  one  hundred  dol- 
lars the  interest  is  just  two  cents  per  day. 

Eight  Per  Cent. — Multiply  by  number  of  days,  and  divide  by 
forty- five. 

Nine  Per  Cent. — Multiply  by  number  of  days ;  separate  right 
hand  figure  and  divide  by  four. 

Ten  Per  Cent. — Multiply  by  number  of  days ;  and  divide  by 
thirty-six. 

Twelve  Per  Cent. — Multiply  by  number  of  days ;  separate  right 
hand  figure,  and  divide  by  three. 

FACTS    WORTH    KNOWING 

A  cubic  is  two  feet. 

A  pace  is  three  feet. 

A  fathom  is  six  feet. 

A  span  is  ten  and  seven-eighths  inches. 

A  palm  is  three  inches. 

A  great  cubic  is  eleven  feet. 

A  league  is  three  miles. 

There  are  2,750  languages. 

America  was  discovered  in  1492. 

Two  persons  die  every  second. 

Sound  moves  743  miles  per  hour. 

A  square  mile  contains  640  acres. 

Envelopes  were  first  used  in  1839. 

A  storm  blows  thirty-six  miles  per  hour. 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  209 


A  hand,  horse  measure,  is  four  inches. 

The  average  human  life  is  thirty-one  years. 

An  acre  contains  4, 840  square  yards. 

The  first  iron  steamship  was  built  in  1830. 

Gold  was  discovered  in  California  in  1848, 

The  first  horse  railroad  was  built  in  1826-27. 

The  first  lucifer  match  was  made  in  1829. 

A  hurrican  moves  eighty  miles  per  hour. 

A  rifle  ball  moves  one  thousand  miles  per  hour. 

Electricity  moves  288,000  miles  per  hour. 

A  mile  is  5,280  feet,  or  1,760  yards  in  length. 

The  first  steamboat  plied  the  Hudson  in  1807. 

The  first  use  of  a  locomotive  in  this  country  was  in  1829. 

The  first  almanac  was  printed  by  George  VanPurbach  in  1640. 

The  first  steam  engine  on  the  continent  was  brought  from  Eng- 
land in  1753. 

Kerosene  was  first  used  for  lighting  purposes  in  1826. 

The  first  newspaper  was  published  in  England  in  1588. 

The  first  newspaper  advertisement  appeared  in  1652. 

Albert  Durer  gave  the  world  a  prophecy  of  future  wood  en- 
graving in  1527. 

Measure  two  hundred  and  nine  feet  on  each  side  and  you  have 
a  square  acre  within  an  inch. 

The  first  complete  sewing  machine  was  patented  by  Elias 
Howe,  Jr.,  in  1846. 

The  present  national  colors  of  the  United  States  were  not 
adopted  by  congress  until  1777. 

TAWING    MIXTURE    FOR  GI.OVE  LEATHER,  CALF,  BUCKSKINS,    ETC. 

This  process  relates  to  a  mixture  for  tanning  glove  leather,  calf, 
or  buckskins,  and  other  skins  and  hides,  which  mixture  is  com- 
posed of  the  ingredients  to  be  stated  and  mixed  together  in  and 
about  the  following  proportions  :  seven  pounds  of  alum,  three 
pounds  of  glauber  salt  (refined),  four  pounds  of  rock  salt,  ten 
gallons  of  soft  water,  five  pounds  of  ground  sumac,  three  pounds 
of  oak  bark,  one  pound  of  ground  nutgalls,  four  ounces  of  oil  of 
vitriol. 

The  alum,  glauber  salt,'  and  rock  salt,  in  or  about  the  propor- 
tions named,  are  first  reduced  to  a  fine  powder  by  pounding,  or 
grinding,  or  in  any  other  suitable  manner,  and  then  afterwards 
boiled  in  the  ten  gallons,  more  or  less,  of  soft  water,  in  a  brass, 


210  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

copper,  or  other  suitable  kettle.  The  sumac,  oak  bark  and  nut- 
galls  are  then  mixed  together  and  boiled  briskly  for  twenty  min- 
utes, more  or  less ;  then  such  mixture  while  hot  is  strained  in  any 
suitable  manner  over  the  alum  and  salts  mixed  together  as  has 
been  stated  ;  the  four  ounces  of  the  oil  of  vitriol  are  then  added,  the 
stirring  being  continued  constantly  until  all  are  fully  dissolved. 
In  the  liquid  mixture  produced  from  the  ingredients  mixed  to- 
gether in  or  about  the  proportions  stated,  place  the  skins  to  be 
tanned  while  such  liquid  is  at  blood  heat,  or  nearly  so,  stirring  them 
constantly  for  about  one  hour,  after  which  '  'crowd' '  them  down,  so 
that  they  will  be  entirely  covered  bj''  the  liquid,  where  let  them  re- 
main for  about  twenty-four  hours,  more  or  less.  The  skins  are 
then  ready  to  be  removed,  and  being  allowed  to  drip,  they  are  set 
out  upon  both  sides,  using  a  glass  slicker  for  the  grain  side.  A 
heavy  coat  of  lard  oil  is  then  applied  to  both  sides ;  then,  hanging 
the  skins  on  hooks  in  a  warm  place,  they  are  allowed  to  dry,  thus 
completing  the  tanning.  With  a  tanning  mixture  composed  of 
the  ingredients  named,  skins  it  is  claimed  can  be  tanned  quicker 
than  by  any  other  mixture  used,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be 
ready  to  receive  any  color  desired,  be  it  scarlet,  purple,  or  black, 
those  named  being  most  employed.  If  the  skin  is  to  be  colored 
black,  nothing  more  is  needed  beyond  the  tanning  except  some- 
thing suitable  for  settling  the  color  to  make  it  permanent.  The 
tawing  mixture  embraced  in  this  process  possesses,  it  is  claimed, 
an  advantage  over  other  methods  of  tawing  in  these  particulars 
more  especially,  that  the  color  will  not  fade,  even  if  exposed  to  the 
sun,  that  leather  can  be  tanned  by  it  in  the  quickest  and  cheapest 
manner  possible,  rendering  it  impervious  to  moisture. 

THE  USE  OF  CARBOLIC  AND  SULPHURIC  ACID  IN  TANNING. 

Carbolic  acid  is  not  used  in  the  process  of  tanning.  It  is  used 
as  a  disinfectant  and  for  the  preservation  of  hides ;  and  where 
animals  have  died  from  contagious  diseases  a  solution  is  made  by 
handlers  as  a  wash  against  infection.  It  is  also  used  as  a  bate 
for  the  purpose  of  neutralizing  the  lime,  the  principal  ingredients 
used  being  carbolic  acid,  muriate  of  ammonia  and  alum.  This  is 
an  invention  of  one  Parkins,  and  the  solution  is  made  as  follows  : 
Three-fourths  pound  of  carbolic  acid,  six  pounds  of  muriate  of  am- 
monia (sal  ammoniac),  and  six  pounds  of  alum,  dissolved  in  one 
hundred  and  fifty  gallons  of  water  ;  but  these  proportions  may  be 
varied  to  conform  to  the  experience  of  those  using  this  compound. 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  211 


It  is  claimed  that  hides  and  skins,  after  unhaired  and  run  in  the 
wash  wheel  and  allowed  to  remain  in  this  solution  for  twentj^-four 
hours,  it  will  entirely  remove  the  remaining  particles  of  lime 
within  the  pores,  so  that  the  tanning  will  be  more  readily  absorbed 
and  in  the  finish  produce  plumper  and  more  pliable  leather.  The 
same  manipulations  are  required  in  the  handling  and  beaming,  as 
where  hen  manure  is  used  for  neutralizing  and  depleting  the  hide. 
The  process  seems  very  simple  and  feasible.  Hen  and  pigeon 
manure  are  employed  chiefly  for  the  properties  of  ammonia  they 
contain,  and  the  sooner  some  substitute  be  used  to  take  the  place 
of  these  objectionable  relics  of  by-gone  ages,  the  sooner  will  the 
tanneries  become  sweet-smelling  institutions,  wherein  one  may 
work  without  fear  of  being  ostracized  by  his  most  intimate  friends 
engaged  in  other  pursuits.  Sulphuric  acid  (vitirol)  and  acetic 
acids  are  extensively  used  for  the  plumping  of  sole  leather  hides 
previous  to  their  being  immersed  in  tannic  acid,  but  we  know  of 
no  method  where  carbolic  acid  is  used  other  than  in  the  preserva- 
tion and  depleting  of  hides, 

RAW-HIDB     BELTING. 

This  process  relates  to  a  mode  of  making  belting  for  machinery  ; 
and  consists  in  preparing  and  curing  hides  without  tanning. 

The  belting  made  by  this  process  of  treating  hides,  it  is  claimed 
possesses  great  strength,  and  the  time  required  for  the  manufacture 
does  not  exceed  one  month,  instead  of  six  or  eight  months  required 
for  tanning.  The  process  is  also  cheaper  than  that  of  tanning 
leather  belting.  It  is  claimed  that  the  belting  produced  by  this 
process  stretches  less  than  either  leather  or  rubber  belting,  and 
that  it  works  with  more  regularity  and  uniformity  on  the  pulleys, 
and  wears  much  longer. 

The  method  of  preparing  and  curing  the  hides  to  manufacture 
the  raw-hide  belting  is  as  follows  :  First,  the  hide  must  be  dried  by 
what  is  termed  the  "Indian  process,"  without  the  use  of  salt,  and 
by  a  free  exposure  to  the  air,  so  that  it  shall  not  undergo  any 
putrefaction  before  it  is  thoroughly  dried  ;  second,  the  dry  hide  is 
then  soaked  for  ten  or  fifteen  days  in  rain  water  or  other  pure  soft 
water ;  third,  the  hair  is  then  taken  oflf  mechanically  with  a  proper 
kaife  ;  fourth,  the  hide  is  then  carefully  stretched  and  smoothed 
on  the  side  of  a  building,  or  on  suitable  frames,  with  great  force, 
to  extend  it  in  all  directions  as  tight  as  possible,  and  it  is  then 
thoroughly  dried  in  the  shade  while  in  this  position  ;  fifth,  after 


212  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

being  dried,  a  composition  of  oil  and  tallow  is  applie  d  by  rubbing 
it  into  the  hide  thoroughly  to  soften  and  render  it  more  pliant. 

After  this  treatment  the  hide  is  ready  for  use  as  belting,  and  is 
divided  into  strips  of  suitable  width,  which  may  be  coupled 
together  with  rivets,  in  the  usual  way. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  hide  is  not  allowed  to  ferment  or 
putrefy,  is  not  treated  with  alkali  or  acid,  or  any  other  chemical, 
nor  charged  with  tannin,  so  that  it  retains  all  its  gelatinous  sub- 
stance and  fibrous  tissue  unimpaired,  and  is  not  deprived  of  any  of 
its  natural  strength  and  tenacity,  only  the  hair  and  excess  of  flesh 
on  the  inside  of  the  hide  being  removed  by  the  operation  of  curry- 
ing with  a  proper  shaving  knife. 

It  is  claimed  that  experiments  made  with  this  raw-hide  belting 
show  that  its  texture  or  body  is  very  compact,  even,  and  solid,  and 
possesses  immense  power  of  resistance  to  strain  or  abrasion — qual- 
ities essential  in  belting  for  machinery. 
A  PROCESS   FOR  TANNING  SUITABI^E)   FOR    USE  ON  THE   FARM. 

The  hide  or  skin  to  be  tanned  is  soaked  in  water  until  softened. 
If  it  is  to  be  tanned  with  the  hair  on,  it  is  next  fleshed  and  passed 
into  a  vessel  filled  with  a  solution  composed  as  follows  :  One-half 
barrel  of  water  (hard  or  soft),  eight  pounds  common  salt,  and  six 
and  a  half  pounds  of  sulphuric  acid.  The  salt  is  dissolved  in  warm 
water,  and  then  the  salt  thus  dissolved  with  the  acid  is  poured  into 
the  barrel  containing  the  water,  and  the  mixture  thoroughly 
stirred  before  placing  the  hide  in  it. 

If  it  is  desired  to  tan  the  hide  or  skin  with  the  hair  off,  it  is 
first  passed  into  lime,  and  when  well  limed  and  reduced  it  is  placed 
in  the  solution  described. 

The  skin  or  hide  should  remain  in  this  solution  from  six  hours 
to  two  weeks,  according  to  the  size  and  thickness.  After  the  hide 
or  skin  has  remained  in  this  solutiun  the  proper  length  of  time,  it 
is  taken  out  and  rinsed  in  water,  and  scoured  with  a  stiff  brush, 
removing  all  salt  and  acid. 

After  this  apply  to  the  hide  a  solution  of  tan  liquor,  composed 
as  follows  :  Lye  made  from  elm,  oak,  or  cotton- wood  ashes,  one 
gallon;  tanner's  oil,  one  gallon ;  neat's-foot  oil,  one  gallon,  the 
several  ingredients  being  placed  together  in  a  vessel  and  well 
beaten  up  for  half  an  hour.  A  heavy  coating  of  this  solution  is 
applied  to  the  hide  or  skin  with  a  stiff  brush,  and  then  the  hide  or 
skin  is  hung  out  to  dry. 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  213 


After  this  take  lye  which  is  made  of  elm,  oak  or  cotton- wood 
ashes,  and  reduce  it  so  that  it  will  not  stain  or  color  the  hide,  and 
sponge  it,  giving  it  three  coats,  one  after  the  other,  rolling  the 
hide  or  skin  up  after  each  of  the  first  two  coats. 

After  the  third  coat  oil  must  be  applied  while  the  hide  is  damp, 
and  rubbed  in  with  a  stiff  brush.  It  is  then  hung  up  to  dry. 
The  hide,  after  this,  is  ready  for  finishing. 

By  the  first  solution  the  gluten  of  the  hide  is  (as  the  inventors 
term  it)    "crystallized,"  and  the  second  solution  relaxes  the  crys- 
tals, filling  the  hide,  giving  body  and  weight  to  the  leather. 
QUICK  METHOD   OF  TANNING  LEATHER. 

The  process  relates  to  a  quick  method  of  tanning  leather,  and 
to  the  combination  therewith  of  means  for  hardening  and  for  pre- 
serving the  leather. 

This  invention  I  consists  primarily  in  the  employment  of  hard 
hack  {spirea  salicifolid)  in  combination  with  sumac,  catechu  and 
glauber  salts,  when  used  together  in  the  manner  and  proportions 
to  be  described  ;  also  in  combining  borax  with  these  ingredients 
for  the  purpose  of  hardening  sole  leather  ;  also,  in  combining  with 
the  same,  or  other  tanning  composition,  arsenic  or  an  arsenical 
solution,  for  the  purpose  of  preserving  the  leather. 

The  procedure  is  as  follows,  supposing  fifty  skins  to  be  the 
number  to  be  tanned  :  To  twenty-five  gallons  of  water  add 
twenty-five  pounds  of  hard  hack,  and  boil  the  infusion  till  the 
essential  principles  of  the  hard  hack  are  well  extracted;  then  add 
to  this  solution  or  extract  ten  pounds  of  sumac,  boiling  the  mix- 
ture or  not,  as  may  be  deemed  advisable.  To  this  mixture  add 
gradually  fifteen  pounds  of  cutch  and  twelve  pounds  of  jglauber 
salts  (the  latter  previously  dissolved  in  water).  Into  the  vat  that 
contains  this  mixture  enter  the  fifty  skins  to  be  tanned,  handling 
as  usual,  the  cutch  being  gradually  introduced,  so  as  not  to 
operate  at  once  upon  the  skins  with  its  full  strength.  Light  skins 
are  allowed  to  remain  in  this  solution  one  to  ten  days,  according 
to  quality  of  stock;  wax  stock  is  to  be  left  in  eight  to  ten  days; 
sole  leather,  thirty  to  forty  days.  The  addition  of  the  hard  hack 
to  the  other  ingredients,  the  whole  being  used  in  the  proportions, 
substantially  as  described,  it  is  claimed,  imparts  a  softness  and 
plumpness  to  the  skins  not  otherwise  attainable.  In  tanning  sole 
leather,  if  to  this  solution  be  added  one  pound  of  borax,  the  result, 
it  is  stated,  will  be  a  material  hardening  of  the  body  of  the  leather, 


214  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


while  the  surface  remains  soft  and  smooth;  and  by  adding  a  half 
pound  of  arsenic  (previously  dissolved),  the  quality  of  leather  for 
durability  is  said  to  be  greatly  increased,  the  arsenical  solution 
penetrating  the  leather  throughout  and  preserving  it  in  a  pliable 
and  soft  condition  until  it  is  worn  through  by  abrasion. 
kemoviinG  acids   from  leather. 

Various  methods  have  been  invented  for  neutralizing  the  acids 
which  remain  in  hides  after  they  have  been  tanned.  A  simple 
compound  for  this  purpose  is  prepared  as  follows  :  Take  three 
pounds  of  bicarbonate  of  soda  and  one  pound  of  common  salt,  and 
dissolve  them  in  about  forty  gallons  of,  preferably,  soft  water. 
After  the  ingredients  have  been  thoroughly  mixed,  immerse 
therein  one  or  more  hides,  and  continue  the  immersion  as  long  as 
any  bubbles  rise  to  the  surface  of  the  liquid. 

This  steep  for  the  previously-tanned  hides  is  stated  to  be 
eminently  successful  in  eliminating  all  the  adhering  acid,  and 
that,  too,  whether  the  ordinary  tannic  acid  from  bark,  or  that  pre- 
pared in  any  way  from  other  material,  is  employed. 

ARTIFICIAL   LEATHER. 

Germany  is  now  making  artificial  leather.  Pieces  of  leather 
are  washed,  cut,  boiled  in  alkaline  Ij^e,  torn,  neutralized  with  hy- 
drochloric acid,  and  washed  once  more  to  remove  all  traces  of  acid. 
To  this  is  added  five  to  ten  per  cent  of  sinews,  which  are  treated 
similarly,  and  steamed  in  an  acid  bath  until  they  are  somewhat 
like  glue.  The  materials  are  then  mixed,  pressed  into  sheets, 
moistened  on  both  sides  with  a  concentrated  .solution  of  alum,  and 
the  upper  surface  receives  a  thin  coat  of  caoutchouc  in  solution 
with  carbon  bisulphide. 

EXTRACT   TANNING. 

The  production  of  good  leather  at  low  cost  has  become  a  most 
important  question,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  the  use  of  the 
most  approved  extracts  tends  to  cheapen  the  cost  of  tanning.  I 
have  twice  tested  this,  and  found  the  cost  equal  to  only  2d.  per 
lb.  The  advantage  is  chiefly  that  you  just  take  from  the  cask  what 
is  required  to  strengthen  your  liquors,  and  there  is  no  waste  or 
evaporation  as  there  is  in  making  liquors  in  open  pits,  where  the 
variable  temperature  afiects  the  process  unfavorably. 

It  is  not  easy  to  test  the  relative  values  of  extracts ;  the  bark- 
ometer  is  useless.     The  only  proper  way  is  to  take,  say  twohun- 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  215 

dred  hides,  and  after  fleshing  them,  to  divide  the  pelt  equally;  to 
use  one  kind  of  extract  with  one,  and  another  extract  with  the 
other  half  I  once  made  such  a  test,  and  found  that  one  extract 
was  25  per  cent  cheaper  than  another — i.  e.,  three  casks  did  the 
same  execution  as  four  casks.  The  reason  was  apparent.  When 
liquor  was  pumped  out,  I  found  where  we  had  used  four  casks  the 
sediment  was  more  than  double  that  of  the  three  casks,  proving 
that  the  latter  was   more  clarified. 

One  ot  the  great  advantages  in  the  use  of  extracts,  as  well  as 
the  saving  in  cost,  is  the  saving  of  space.  In  erecting  new  prem- 
ises, most  of  the  room  occupied  in  old  yards  with  large  bark  barns, 
and  taps  or  leaches,  could  be  dispensed  with,  as  well  as  the  labor 
required  to  constantly  pump  round  the  liquors  in  the  taps  and 
handlers,  which  in  hot  weather,  when  the  expenditure  is  rapid, 
must  be  continuous.  Mark  again  the  disadvantage  during  cold 
and  frost}'  weather  of  making  and  pumping  round  the  liquors.  No 
wonder  the  process  is  so  slow  under  the  old  system,  as  the  operation 
must  be  greatly  retarded  by  the  exposure  of  the  liquor  to  the  cold 
atmosphere. 

HIDES   OF    FARM-SLAUGHTERED    ANIMALS. 

The  hides  of  farm-slaughtered  animals  have  a  poor  reputation, 
because  of  the  careless  way  in  which  they  are  stripped.  Calfskins 
and  sheep  pelts  are  ruined  one-half  in  value  by  being  cut  and 
gashed,  and  improperly  stretched.  When  a  hide  is  stripped  off,  it 
should  be  stretched  at  once,  and  pegged  out  to  dry,  with  the  flesh 
side  upward.  If  it  is  rolled  up,  or  thrown  in  a  heap  and  left  to  dry 
in  that  shape,  it  is  so  mean  looking  that  a  buyer  will  offer  only  half 
its  real  value.  A  few  hints  in  regard  to  taking  off  a  hide,  may 
be  useful.  The  throat  should  never  be  slit  crosswise,  either  in  kill- 
ing or  taking  off  a  hide.  The  skin  is  slit  from  the  chin  down  the 
brisket,  in  a  straight  line  to  the  tail  ;  it  is  then  cut  around  each 
hoof;  the  hind  legs  are  slit  behind  over  the  gambrel,  but  the  front 
legs  are  slit  up  in  front,  over  the  knee.  This  leaves  the  skin  in 
good  shape  for  finishing  the  leather.  The  head  and  legs  are  first 
carefully  skinned,  and  all  cutting  the  skin  is  avoided.  The  skin  is 
then  easily  drawn  off  by  taking  hold  of  it  firmly,  and  pulling  it 
steadil}'.  It  is  then  spread  out  evenly  on  a  floor,  and  salted  with 
fine  salt.  If  there  is  but  one  it  is  best  to  stake  it  out  as  soon  as  the 
salt  has  taken,  and  dry  at  once  in  a  cool,  shaded  place.     If  there 


216  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

are  more  than  one,  they  are  laid  upon  each  other  and  salted  quite 
freely,  and  afterwards  they  are  thoroughly  dried.  If  the  skins  are 
kept  on  hand,  they  shoull  be  closely  watched  for  moths  or  grubs. 

THK   WEIGHTING   OF   LEATHER. 

Under  the  above  heading  we  are  desirous  of  saying  a  few  words 
in  reference  to  the  methods  and  substances  used  to  increase  the 
weight  of  soling  leather  in  tanning.  It  is  needless  to  say  that 
these  substances  are  solely  used  with  the  intention  of  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  consumer.  This  has  been  thoroughly  demonstrated 
by  Mr.  Eitner,  the  well-known  expert,  who  has  a  laboratory  for 
chemical  and  technical  experiments  for  the  leather  industry  in 
Vienna. 

We  gather  from  the  experiments  made  by  him  that  leathers 
have  been  placed  on  the  market  containing  large  quantities  of  for- 
eign matter,  viz.,  sulphate  of  baryta.  This  product  is  formed  from 
chloride  of  barium  and  sulphuric  acid.  Among  other  things,  Mr. 
Kitner  says  :  "  If  these  matters  are  added,  and  it  is  very  probable 
they  are,  during  the  process  of  tanning,  the  latter  process  is  carried 
out  very  inefficientl5^  Neither  of  the  two  substances  have  any 
tanning  properties  whatsoever,  nor  have  they  any  advantage  for 
tanningipurposes.  They  are  used  solely  as  an  absorbent  for  the 
purpose  of  increasing  the  weight  of  the  leather.  The  increase  of 
weight  is,  after  all,  a  delusion,  for  such  increase  is  only  to  a  very 
limited  extent.  The  substances  are  only  absorbed  to  some  extent, 
for  in  the  center  of  the  leather  very  little  is  found. 

"  If  the  sulphate  of  baryta  cannot  be  washed  out  it  may  be  de- 
tected by  analysis,  and  even  by  the  shoemaker.  The  substance 
mentioned  can  only  be  intended  to  be  used  for  fraudulent  purposes 
and  for  no  other.  Chloride  of  barium  is  a  very  poisonous  sub. 
stance,  and  several  blood-poisoning  cases  have  already  occurred  by 
its  use  in  tanning  establishments,  two  of  which  have  ended  in 
death." — Shoe  a?id Leather  Trades  Chronicle. 


White  birch-bark  oil,  which  gives  to  Russia  leather  its  peculiar 
aromatic  and  lasting  qualities,  when  dissolved  in  alcohol,  is  said  to 
be  excellent  for  preserving  and  water-proofing  fabrics.  It  renders 
them  acid  and  insect-proof,  and  does  not  destroy  the  pliability  of 
the  fabric. 


A  leather  varnish  or  polish,  said  to  be  of  peculiar  adaptation,  is 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  217 

prepared  at  Gunther's  establishment,  Berlin,  by  mixing  a  filtered 
solution  of  eighty  parts  of  shellac  in  fifteen  parts  of  alcohol,  with 
three  parts  of  wax,  two  of  castor  oil,  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
pigment;  this  mixture  being  evaporated  in  a  vacuum  to  a  syrup. 
The  varnish  is  applied  to  the  leather  with  a  brush  moistened  with 
alcohol. 


The  porpoise  skin,  from  which  shoes  are  now  made,  after  being 
cleansed  of  the  blubber,  is  ready  for  the  tanner,  and  they  readily 
bring  $5  each.  Out  of  porpoise  hide  very  fine  leather  is  made,  a 
quality  that  takes  color  nicely,  dresses  beautifully  and  is  employed 
in  making  some  of  the  finest  novelties. 

ART  IN  OILING  SHOES. 

A  one-armed  bootblack  having  taken  the  contract  to  oil  the 
shoes  of  a  reporter,  after  the  preliminary  brushing,  began  by  rubbing 
the  leather  with  a  wet  cloth.  When  asked  what  it  was  for  he  ex- 
plained :  ' '  When  I  began  this  business, ' '  said  the  operator,  '  *  I 
used  to  keep  on  rubbing  the  oil  into  the  leather  until  a  man  told 
me  to  stop.  1  thought  they'd  know  when  they  had  enough,  and  I 
wanted  to  give  satisfaction.  Some  of  my  customers  complained 
that  the  oil  soaked  through  their  boots  and  saturated  their  socks. 
I  thought  perhaps  I  had  been  putting  on  too  much  oil,  but  the  same 
fault  was  found  in  several  cases  where  I  had  been  more  careful. 
Finally  an  old  shoemaker,  whom  I  knew,  came  along,  and  I  asked 
him  what  I  ought  to  do  to  save  my  trade.  He  told  me  never  to  oil 
a  shoe  until  I  had  wet  it  first.  The  reason  was  that  the  water 
would  penetrate  the  leather  and,  remaining  there,  keep  the  oil  from 
soaking  through.  Besides,  the  water  would  soften  the  leather  and 
open  it  so  that  the  oil  would  do  the  leather  more  good.  My  trade 
has  prospered  ever  since. ' ' 

SHAGRIN  LEATHER. 

This  leather  is  chiefly  celebrated  for  its  hardness  and  strength, 
and  for  the  peculiarity  of  its  grain  side,  which  appears  as  if  covered 
with  globular  granules.  It  is  of  Eastern  origin.  The  best  sha- 
grin  is  now  made  in  Persia,  Constantinople,  Algiers  and  Tripoli. 
The  production  of  the  small  globular  granules  on  the  grain  side 
was  for  a  long  time  kept  secret.  We  were  first  informed,  years 
since,  by  the  celebrated  traveler,  Pallas,  that  they  were  produced 
by  stamping  the  seeds  of  the  wild  orach  into  the  hide,  spread 
on  the  ground.     The  seeds  were  afterguards  knocked  out  and  the 


21S  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

hide  scraped  on  the  indented  side,  and  soaked  in  water  for  two 
days.  There  is  another  description  of  shagrin,  totally  different, 
made  from  fish-skin,  called  fish-skin  shagrin.  It  is  used  for  covers, 
wood  polishing,  etc. 

TANNING  HIDES  AND  SKINS  WITH  THE  HAIR  ON. 

The  following  is  a  convenient  method  by  which  farmers  and 
others  may  tan  hides  and  dress  furs  as  their  requirements  may  de- 
mand. The  tanning  composition  consists  of  new  milk,  one  quart ; 
wheat  flour,  one  quart ;  barley  meal,  half  pint ;  oatmeal,  one-half 
pint;  commeal,  one  pint ;  sal  soda,  one  ounce  ;  cream  of  tartar, 
one  ounce ;  salt,  one  pint ;  oil  of  vitriol,  one  ounce.  The  above 
named  ingredients  are  carefully  and  thoroughly  mixed  into  a  paste, 
having  the  consistency  of  white  lead.  The  hides  to  be  dressed  for 
furs,  after  being  soaked  and  fleshed,  are  spread  upon  a  flat  table  or 
bench,  with  the  flesh  side  up,  after  which  the  paste  is  spread  to 
the  thickness  of  about  one-eighth  of  an  inch  upon  the  flesh  side, 
and  allowed  to  dry  while  it  is  spread  out.  When  the  hide  has  been 
allowed  to  become  suflficiently  dry,  it  is  removed  from  the  stretcher, 
' '  worked  over  a  beam  ' '  with  a  flesh  knife  until  it  is  quite  soft,  and 
in  condition  for  use. 

ABOUT  SUMAC. 

Mr.  Ed.  Voerster,  in  the  New  Orleans  Times-Democrat,  says  that 
sumac  grows  wild  and  luxuriantly  as  far  north  as  Kentucky  and 
Virginia.  In  Louisville,  Ky. ,  where  I  was  interested  in  a  tannery, 
we  obtained  our  supplies  (unground — in  the  dry  leaf)  from  the  sur- 
rounding country,  paying  from  one  to  one  and  one-quarter  cents  per 
pound,  we  furnishing  the  sacks.  Baltimore,  Md.,  is  a  leading  mar- 
ket for  dried  sumac  in  the  leaf,  and  also  the  powdered. 

If  American  sumac  is  ground  or  powdered,  it  enters  into  compe- 
tition with  Sicilian  sumac,  and  here  quality  decides  the  market 
price.  Sumac  is  a  bleaching  material  for  leather,  to  produce  the 
fair  leather  color.  The  possibilities  for  the  Louisiana  product 
would  be  in  ground  sumac  packed  in  hard-pressed  bales  or  sacks, 
in  which  state  it  would  doubtless  go  at  cotton  freight  rates.  For 
an  experiment  the  question  would  be,  can  it  be  got  dry  enough  for 
grinding  ?  Will  it  bring  a  higher  price  than  the  Virginia  article  ? 
A  few  hundred  pounds  of  air-dried  leaves  pressed  in  sacks  might , 
be  sent  to  Baltimore,  Boston,  or  to  some  fine,  fair-leather  manufac- ' 
turer  in  the  East  for  a  trial. 

We  believe  that  Southern  grown  sumac  is  considered  superior 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  219 

to  the  best  Sicilian,  as  it  is  richer  in  tannin.  The  latter,  however, 
generally  brings  a  better  price,  owing  to  more  careful  gathering 
and  method  of  preparation. 

COLORING    FURS. 

After  the  skins  have  been  tanned  as  above  directed  and  dried, 
in  order  to  color  the  furs,  soak  the  skins  until  they  become  soft, 
and  then  wash  them  in  a  moderately  strong  solution  of  sal-soda  in 
water,  and  then  rinse  them  until  they  are  clean  ;  then  apply  with 
a  brush,  and  rub  well  through  the  fur  down  to  the  pelt,  half  an 
ounce  of  crj^stallized  nitrate  of  silver,  and  one  pint  of  soft  water, 
and  hang  in  the  sun  to  dry.  After  being  dried  apply  with  a  brush, 
and  rub  well  through  the  fur,  one  ounce  of  sulphate  of  potash  dis- 
solved in  one  pint  of  soft  water,  and  then  hang  the  skins  in  the  sun 
to  dry,  and  when  dry,  rinse  off,  and  then  hang  in  the  shade  to 
dry  ;  and  during  the  final  drying  the  skins  should  be  occasionally 
worked,  in  order  to  soften  them.  For  coloring  the  furs  black,  the 
following  ingredients  may  be  employed  :  Nitrate  of  silver,  one 
ounce ;  antimony,  one  ounce  ;  gunpowder,  one  pint ;  water,  about 
one  pint.  The  liquid  prepared  as  above  is  applied  to  the  fur  with 
a  brush,  and  afterward  rubbed  until  dry,  which  completes  the 
process. 

A  * '  FORGOTTEN  ' '  COLOR  FOR  GLAZED  LEATHER. 

The  simple  decoction  of  onion-peel  communicates  to  glazed 
leather  a  very  beautiful  orange  yellow.  As  a  mixing  color  with 
the  bright  dark  colors,  especially  willow  bark,  it  furnishes  the  most 
delicate  light  tints,  adding  also  a  particular  gloss  and  fire.  Used 
as  a  yellow  pigment  for  all  brown  shades,  these  are  rendered 
brighter  and  more  expressive.  It  also  readily  seizes  upon  those 
leathers  which  are  diflScult  to  color,  and  covers  them  well  and 
equally. 

CONSTITUENTS  OP   HIDES. 

The  following  is  contributed  to  Leather,  by  C.  R.  : 
' '  The  text  books  on  tanning  have  given  very  full  and  explicit  de- 
scriptions of  the  construction  of  the  hide,  but,  to  my  mind,  they 
have  not  entered  sufficiently  into  certain  details,  showing  its  du- 
ties, offices  and  the  share  which  it  takes  in  the  animal  economy.  A 
healthy  skin  is  as  necessary  to  life  as  the  food  which  is  eaten,  and 
part  of  that  food  is  consumed  by  the  skin  for  its  proper  maintenance 
and  distribution.     A  healthy  skin  is  soft,  flexible  and  porous,  and 


220  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

in  this  state  will  show  the  healthy  and  good  condition  of  the  owner. 
On  the  other  hand,  a  hot,  tight,  rigid  one  will  prove  the  contrary, 
showing  that  the  duties  which  it  ought  to  perform  and  the  exuda- 
tions which  should  be  discharged  are  in  abeyance.  The  experience 
of  everj^  tanner  shows  this  :  That  with  a  hide  in  a  healthy  condi- 
tion and  from  a  well-fed  beast,  he  can  make  the  best  of  leather, 
while  with  the  ill-doing  thing — not  to  go  to  extremes  and  say  blood 
bound  one — he  can  make  nothing  satisfactory.  Therefore,  an  open, 
porous  skin  is  necessary  to  life,  and  the  contrary  leads  to  death,  as 
was  proved  in  the  case  of  the  poor  boy,  who  was  covered  with  gold 
as  a  spectacle  in  a  procession,  who  died  because  of  the  inability  of 
nature  to  find  relief  in  sweat.  Therefore,  as  this  sweat  must  exude 
from  the  hide  there  must  naturally  be  in  this  source  and  fountain 
always  a  stock  on  hand.  On  this  I  wish  to  make  some  practical 
remarks.  First,  to  show  how  an  effort  has  been  made  to  remove 
this  fat  and  at  the  same  time  show  the  advantage  of  its  removal.  It 
is  admitted  on  all  hands  that  the  American  tanners,  by  their  sys- 
tem of  cool  sweating,  do  get  very  extraordinary  weights,  and  that 
the  cool  sweat-house  is  a  most  pestiferous  place  from  the  overpow- 
ering effects  of  the  ammonia  produced.  This  ammonia  cannot  all 
be  caused  by  the  destruction  of  pelt  or  the  damage  would  be  sim- 
ply enormous.  Therefore,  in  questioning  how  it  does  arise  is  it 
not  reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  is  from  the  fatty  matter,  which 
contains  the  sweat  or  produces  it  ?  And  when  we  know  that  this 
fatty  matter  is  asserted,  on  high  authority,  to  be  more  than  one 
fourth  ofthe  weight  of  the  hide  this  hypothesis  does  not  seem  either 
unreasonable  or  far-fetched.  Then  upon  this  fatty  matter  being  got 
rid  of  tannin  can  take  its  place,  and  this,  in  my  opinion,  is  the 
cause  of  the  superior  weight  of  sweated  leather.  Assuming  this, 
it  is  fair  to  conclude  that  everything  in  the  manufactories  ought  to 
be  eliminated  and  the  fibre  and  gelatine  (as  the  only  parts  that 
tan)  left  in  their  pure  and  free  state  to  absorb  the  tannin.  If  lime 
could  kill  or  remove  this  fat,  the  same  weights  would  be  made  as 
are  obtained  from  the  cool  sweat.  With  lime  we  make  a  dry  Cape 
hide  of  sixteen  pounds  into  twenty-one  pounds  of  leather,  but  with 
the  cool .  sweating  process  a  weight  is  claimed  of  twenty-nine 
pounds.  It  can  be  proved  that  such  a  result  has  been  attained 
here  by  removing  this  fat,  and  the  experiment  of  Muntz  and  Schon 
even  goes  further  and  shows  a  gain  of  eighty-eight  per  cent.  Sci- 
ence will  eventually  be  carried  far  enough  to  prove  what  ultimately 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  221 

becomes  of  this  fat,  whether  it  remains  in  a  quiescent  neutral  state 
or  is  killed  by  the  tannic  acid.  But,  until  it  is  removed,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  all  is  not  made  of  the  hide  that  should  be. 

TRANSPARENT    LEATHER. 

This  leather  is  made  by  a  patent  process.  The  skins  are  depil- 
ated, cleansed,  and  stretched  over  frames,  and  the  following  mix- 
ture is  rubbed  into  them  :  One  thousand  parts  of  glycerine  at 
twenty -six  degrees,  two  parts  of  salicylic  acid,  two  parts  of  picric 
acid,  and  twenty-five  parts  of  boracic  acid.  Before  the  skins  are 
perfectly  dry,  they  are  introduced  into  a  chamber  sheltered  from 
the  light  of  the  sun,  and  they  are  made  to  absorb  a  solution  of 
bichromate  of  potash  ;  and  after  they  are  thoroughly  dried,  they 
are  then  covered  with  an  alcoholic  solution  of  shellac,  and  trans- 
parent leather  is  formed.  It  is  very  tough,  and  makes  excellent 
straps. 

LIGHT-GRAY   COLOR   FOR   DYEING  KID. 

The  problem  of  preparing  a  fine,  uniform,  well-covered,  light- 
gray  color  suitable  for  dyeing  kid  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  tasks. 
The  following  is  a  preparation  prepared  by  a  well  known  chemist, 
after  a  prolonged  study,  which  mixture  is  well  recommended  by 
those  who  have  tried  it. 

It  is  composed  of  the  following  constituents :  i  ^  pounds  of 
alder  bark  are  boiled  out  with  i  ^  gallons  of  water ;  finall}^  the  eva- 
porated water  is  replaced  and  the  mixture  is  made  up  to  i  ^  gal- 
lons ;  2^  ounces  of  fustic  are  boiled  in  three  pints  of  water,  and  the 
evaporated  water  replaced  and  the  mixture  made  up  to  three  pints; 
the  two  mixtures  thus  prepared  are  mixed  together,  diluted  with 
I  ^  gallons  of  water,  and  finally  the  compound  is  treated  with 
' '  ligustrum-j  nice. ' '  Four  coats  of  this  mixture  are  required.  A 
solution  of  ys  pound  ferrous  sulphate  in  37^  gallons  of  water  is 
then  applied. 

NEW  SUBSTITUTE   FOR   LEATHER. 

Dr.  Geo.  Tenius,  in  Vienna,  has  a  process  for  the  manufacture 
of  artificial  leather  from  red  beechwood.  The  best  wood  for  the  pur- 
pose is  taken  from  fifty  to  sixty -year  old  trees,  cut  in  the  spring,  and 
must  be  worked  up  immediately — bark  peeled  off,  steamed,  treated 
with  chemicals  in  a  kettle  under  pressure,  and  then  exposed  to  sev- 
eral more  operations,  which  the  inventor  does  not  mention,  as  he 
wants  to  have  them  patented.  From  the  prepared  wood  strong 
and  thin  pieces  are  made  by  means  of  heavy  pressure.  The  inventor 


LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


states  that  a  solid  sole  leather  can  be  obtained,  which  he  claims  is 
superior  to  the  animal  leather  in  firmness  and  durability,  and  can 
be  worked  up  in  the  same  way  as  animal  leather,  nailed  and  sewed. 

COIvORED   LEATHER. 

Modern  leather  manufacturers  are  surpassing  the  ancients  in 
the  diversity  and  beauty  of  the  colors  they  are  introducing.  Many 
of  the  shades  produced  in  upper  leather  are  highly  attractive.  The 
Thebans  were  thought  to  have  attained  great  proficiency  in  this 
art,  but  the  variety  of  colors  they  are  credited  with  was  meager 
comprred  with  the  iridescent  display  of  our  epoch.  Remnants 
of  leather  found  in  Theban  tombs  reveal  the  use  of  acacia  and  other 
trees  in  the  tanning  process.  The  Jews,  after  the  exodus,  probably 
put  into  practice  the  knowledge  obtained  of  this  art  under  the 
Pharaohs,  in  preparing  rams'  skins  dyed  red  for  the  service  of  the 
tabernacle. 

The  love  of  colors  is  as  old  as  the  human  race.  The  art  of  dye- 
ing leather,  so  long  practiced  on  the  Mediterranean,  was  afterward 
attained  with  difficulty  by  other  European  countries.  But  we  need 
no  longer  go  to  Egypt  or  the  Mediterranean  for  instruction  con- 
cerning it. 

GLUCOSE  IN  LEATHER. 

The  falsification  of  the  weight  of  leather  by  adding  glucose,  or 
grape  sugar,  appears  to  have  been  carried  on  rather  extensively  in 
Germany,  and  the  shoe  trade  societies  took  steps  to  protect  them- 
selves from  the  imposition.  A  simple  test  is  recommended,  which 
consists  in  placing  pieces  of  the  leather  in  water  for  the  space  of 
twenty-four  hours,  when  the  glucose  will  be  dissolved  by  the  water, 
and  the  result  will  be  a  thick,  syrupy  liquid.  When  two  pieces  of 
the  leather  are  placed  together  and  left  in  that  position  for  a  time, 
it  will  be  found  difficult  to  separate  them,  as  the  gummy  exuda- 
tions will  stick  them  together.  It  is  stated  that  some  samples  of 
sole  leather  were  found  to  contain  as  high  as  thirty  to  forty  per  cent 
of  extra  weight.  Another  test  recommended,  is  to  cut  off  small 
pieces  of  the  leather,  and  wrapping  them  up  in  a  damp  cloth,  lay 
them  away  for  a  few  days  in  a  temperate  place.  If  the  leather  is 
adulterated,  the  pieces  will  be  found  to  be  stuck  together,  and  sur= 
rounded  by  a  syrupy  substance,  in  proportion  to  the  quantity  of  the 
adulterant  used ;  and  the  peculiarity  about  leather  treated  with 
grape  sugar  is,  that  after  wetting,  it  is  difficult  to  dry,  and  resem- 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  223 

bles  gutta  percha,  or  untanned  leather,  more  than  the  genuine 
article. 

SOFTENING  LEATHER. 
Neatsfoot  oil  will  not  soften  leather  under  all  circumstances ; 
neither  is  castor  oil  any  better.  Oil  is  not  necessary  to  the  plia- 
bility of  leather — the  leather  of  the  ox,  goat,  calf  and  kid.  It  is 
necessary  that  the  leather  be  kept  moist ;  but  oil  need  not  be  the 
moistening  means.  Yet  in  use,  oil  is  the  most  convenient  means 
for  keeping  leather  soft.  It  would  be  inconvenient  to  employ  water 
to  keep  pliable  the  leather  of  our  boots,  because  of  its  spreading 
the  pores  of  the  leather  and  admitting  cold  air ;  besides,  unless 
always  wet,  leather  becomes  hard  and  rigid.  Oil,  on  the  contrary, 
keeps  the  leather  in  a  proper  state  for  its  best  usefulness,  that  of 
pliability.  But  in  order  that  oil  may  soften  the  leather,  its  way  should 
be  prepared  by  a  thorough  wetting  of  the  leather  by  water.  Much  less 
oil  is  required  if  the  leather  is  well  saturated  with  water.  The  philos- 
ophy is  obvious  ;  water  is  repellent  to  the  oil,  and  prevents  it  from 
passing  entirely  through  the  leather,  holding  the  oil  in  the  sub- 
stance of  the  leather.  The  use  of  water  for  softening  belts  in 
factories  is  not  inconvenient,  if  advantage  is  taken  of  a  holiday. 
At  night  the  belts  may  be  brushed  clean  and  thoroughly  wetted  ; 
then  in  the  morning  use  the  oil ;  a  much  smaller  quantity  is  neces- 
sary to  render  the  belt  pliable  than  when  no  water  is  used. 

UNPREPARED   INDIAN  HIDES. 

It  is  well  known,  says  an  exchange,  that  the  North  American 
tanners  use  a  large  number  of  Indian  hides.  These  hides  weigh, 
on  an  average,  ten  pounds.  The  buyers  in  the  United  States  dis- 
covered at  one  time  that  this  was  too  light  a  weight,  and  conse- 
quently, when  they  gave  their  orders,  made  it  a  condition  that  they 
would  only  receive  hides  weighing  at  least  fourteen  pounds.  In 
order  to  fulfill  the  requirements  of  the  North  American  tanners,  the 
inhabitants  of  India  found  a  means  of  artificially  increasing  the 
weight  of  the  hides,  by  smearing  them  with  several  coats  of  a  mix- 
ture of  saltpetre,  salt,  and  lime,  known  by  the  name  of  "chenam." 
This  deceitful  practice  is  universal  in  India,  and  has  caused  con- 
siderable losses  to  tanners  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  Not  only, 
however,  does  the  employment  of  ' '  chenam  ' '  increase  the  price  by 
some  forty  per  cent,  but  in  addition  to  this,  extra  freight  has  to  be 
paid  for  this  false  weight.  In  former  times,  tanners  produced  from 
every   loo  pounds  of  Indian  hides,  from   135  to   145  pounds  ot 


224 LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

leather,  but  now  they  get  only  about  ninety-seven  pounds.  All  the 
eflforts  made  hitherto  to  root  out  this  dishonest  dealing  in  India, 
have  remained  without  result. 

anothe:r  method  of  tanning. 
CassePs  Magazine  refers  to  a  process  of  tanning  with  soap,  as 
follows  :  "A  method  of  tanning  with  oil,  soap  and  carbolic  acid, 
is  stated  to  have  been  brought  out  by  an  Australian  inventor.  The 
skins,  after  being  limed  in  the  ordinary  way,  are  placed  in  a  bath, 
consisting  of  a  mixture  of  ten  gallons  of  water,  in  which  200  pounds 
of  soap  are  dissolved,  and  containing  one  gallon  of  carbolic  acid. 
The  skins  are  left  in  this  until  converted  into  leather.  The  process, 
is  said  to  be  accelerated  by  adding  a  fresh  pint  of  carbolic  acid  to 
the  liquor  from  time  to  time.  The  above  course  is  applicable  to 
sole  leather;  but  for  a  softer  leather,  limed  and  unhaired  skins  are 
kept  for  one  or  two  days  in  a  mixture  of  four  parts  of  carbon  bisul. 
phide  and  one  of  carbolic  acid,  and  then  washed." — London  Leather. 

TANNING   WITH    OFFAI.. 

For  years  subsequent  to  the  introduction  of  gas  made  from  the 
destructive  distillation  of  coal,  there  was  no  little  difl&culty  in  get- 
ting rid  of  the  by-products  of  the  process,  but  with  the  advent  of 
processes  for  recovering  the  aniline  found  in  the  heavier  products- 
the  use  of  the  ammonia  and  potash  liquors  by  the  fertilizer  manu- 
factories, together  with  other  uses  of  the  crude  products,  gas  manu- 
facturing companies  made  a  specialty  of  storing  the  baser  elements 
for  market,  and  no  little  industry  sprung  up  in  the  larger  cities  that 
engaged  in  the  manipulation  of  refuse  and  waste  from  the  gas  works. 

Investigating  genius,  however,  would  not  allow  the  matter  to 
rest  here,  but  as  a  result  of  many  wearisome  tests  and  exhaustive 
experiments,  we  are  now  asked  to  adopt  a  new  element  in  the  tan- 
ning industry,  nothing  more  nor  less  than  a  substance  to  supersede 
the  bark  liquors,  and  this  substance  is  pyrofuxin,  one  of  the  many 
elements  found  in  mineral  coal.  Prof  Reinsch,  the  discoverer  and 
patentee,  claims  that  subsequent  to  the  contact  of  pyrofuxin  with 
the  skin,  it  rapidly  unites  with  the  tissues,  so  that,  after  a  long 
soaking  in  water,  the  solid  gelatine,  the  leather,  is  not  decomposed, 
and  the  pyrofuxin  is  not  extracted. 

One  very  desirable  feature  set  forth  in  his  claims,  is  the  rapidity 
of  its  action  ;  this,  as  compared  \  with  the  action  of  alum  or  tannic 
acid  in  the  ordinary  tannery  process,  is  as  one  to  fourteen  for  alum, 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION.  225 

and  one  to  twenty-eight  for  bark.  To  explain  more  full}',  it  takes 
fourteen  times  as  long  to  tan  with  alum  as  with  pyrofuxin,  and 
twenty-eight  times  as  long  to  tan  with  bark  as  with  pyrofuxin. 
This  feature  will  recommend  itself  to  the  attention  of  practiced 
men,  from  the  fact  that  in  all  the  processes  of  tanning  one  great 
drawback  to  profit  is  the  great  length  of  time  capital  remains  idle 
for,  by  the  time  the  green  hide  has  undergone  all  the  processes  and 
reached  the  markets,  the  greater  part  of  a  year  has  expired. 

Regarding  the  structure  of  the  corium  of  this  pyrofuxin  tanned 
leather,  it  is  finer  in  fiber,  more  closely  interwoven,  and  shows  a 
sharper  delineation  of  the  fiber  than  in  leather  made  with  alum  or 
bark  liquor.  The  epidermis  is  harder  and  more  elastic,  and  is  also 
stronger.  Comparative  experiments,  made  by  weighing  equal 
sized  bands  of  leather,  taken  from  like  parts  of  sheepskins,  alike  in 
their  raw  state,  yielded  the  following  results,  according  to  the  pub- 
lished reports  in  a  German  paper. 

Profuxin  leather 20  pounds. 

Alum  "        1%    '' 

Bark  "        5 

As  to  the  cost  of  this  new  material,  it  is  now  lower  by  at  least 
25  per  cent.  The  dry  substance  is  fine,  non-triturable  material, 
void  of  taste  or  smell,  it  is  insoluble  in  water,  non-poisonous,  and 
resembles  catechu  very  much;  it  is  soluble  in  caustic,  potash  or 
soda. 

In  his  letter  the  professor  states  that  all  the  mineral  coals  do  not 
yield  this  substance,  but  in  found  in  rich  abundance  in  the  leaf 
coal  of  Central  Russia,  and  in  nearly  all  bituminous  coal  of  the  semi- 
block  variety.  Taken  all  in  all  this  is  a  very  important  discovery, 
for  any  process  that  increases  the  durability  of  leather,  diminishing 
the  cost  and  time  of  production,  is  economical  and  increases  the 
demand,  making  the  inventor  a  benefactor. 

LEATHER  CANNON. 
''  Let  me  give  you  a  bit  of  history,"  said  a  down-town  leather 
merchant  recently,  "  that  many  a  student  has  overlooked.  The 
objects  of  peace  are  not  all  that  leather  figures  in,  for  it  is  to  lea- 
ther that  we  owe  the  introduction  of  light  artillery.  Ivcather  can- 
non have  been  actually  tried  on  the  battlefield,  and,  what  is  more, 
turned  the  tide  of  one  of  the  greatest  battles  of  modem  times.  The 
inventor  of  leathern  artillery  was  Col.  Robert  Scott,  a  Scotchman 
in  the  service  of  Charles  I.  of  England. 


226  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

' '  He  constructed  guns  of  hardened  leather,  and  experimentally 
tried  them.  The  result  was  that  they  were  pronounced  superior 
to  guns  made  of  brass  or  iron.  The  Colonel,  however,  did  not  live 
long  enough  to  enjoy  the  greatest  triumph  of  his  invention.  He 
died  in  1631,  and  a  monument  erected  to  his  memory  I  have  seen 
in  a  church-yard  in  London.  This  monument  represents  him  as  an 
armor-clad,  fierce-looking  man,  wearing  a  heavy  mustache  and  a 
pointed  beard." 

In  the  very  year  of  the  Colonel's  death  the  effectiveness  of  his 
leathern  artillery  was  amply  proved  on  the  memorable  field  of 
Leipsic,  where  September  7,  1631,  Gustavus  Adolphus  achieved 
his  splendid  victory  over  the  Imperialists,  under  Gen.  Tilly.  It  is 
said  that  it  was  owing  to  the  invention  of  Col.  Scott  that  the  vic- 
tory was  obtained. 

The  guns  were  found  to  be  so  easily  carried  that  a  small  battery 
could  fly  from  one  part  of  the  field  to  another,  and  thus  artillery  be 
brought  to  bear  when  most  needed,  a  thing  impossible  to  the  heavy 
cannon  of  that  period.  Certain  it  is  that  leathern  artillery  was 
used  in  this  great  battle  by  Adolphus,  though  it  is  equally  certain 
that  the  guns  were  never  used  afterward.  The  reason  of  that,  how- 
ever, was  that  the  leather  guns  having  demonstrated  the  value  of 
light  artillery,  a  way  was  discovered  of  making  the  metal  guns 
lighter,  and  the  greater  durability  of  the  latter  gave  them  the 
superiority. 

As  used  in  the  battle  of  Leipsic,  the  leather  gun  consisted  of 
a  copper  tube  of  thickness  of  parchment,  strengthened  by 
plates  of  iron  running  parallel  with  the  gun,  bound  with  iron 
bands.  The  tube  was  then  bound  with  several  coatings  of  cord,  with 
a  cement  of  mastic  between  each  coating,  and  the  whole  inclosed 
in  a  case  of  tough  leather.  The  weight  of  the  gun  was  such  that 
two  men  could  easily  carry  it.  The  great  Napoleon  was  not  above 
using  leather  as  a  means  of  defense.  He  put  the  leather  cuirass 
upon  twelve  regiments  of  his  celebrated  cavalry. — New  Orleans 
Times  Democrat, 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION. 


WESTERN   HEMI^OCK. 

The  hemlock  was  formerly  considered  of  little  value  in  the 
Northwestern  lumber  regions,  but  as  the  supply  of  pine  diminishes 
the  lumbermen  are  finding,  as  the  New  England  lumbermen  did 
many  years  ago,  that  it  is  really  a  valuable  tree.  Thousands  of 
acres  of  land  from  which  the  pine  had  been  cleared  have  been  al- 
lowed, it  is  said,  to  revert  to  the  states  for  unpaid  taxes,  the  own- 
ers believing  that  the  trees  were  not  worth  the  cutting.  Michigan 
and  Wisconsin  possess  millions  of  feet  of  this  timber.  Its  use  is  be- 
coming quite  extensive,  and  the  cut  is  rapidly  increasing,  especially 
in  Wisconsin,  where  one  county — Shawano — alone  is  said  to  have 
cut  20,000,000  feet  annually.  In  the  East  hemlock  has  been  found 
to  be  fully  equal  to  white  pine  for  many  purposes,  and  an  excellent 
substitute  for  other  wood.  As  the  supply  of  white  pine  in  Michi- 
gan and  the  other  Northwestern  states  continues  to  diminish,  the 
use  of  hemlock  in  its  place  will  naturally  become  very  large,  and 
the  land  so  foolishly  allowed  to  revert  to  the  state  for  non-payment 
of  taxes  will  in  the  future  command  good  prices. 

DISCOVERY  OP  A  TANNERY  FOUR  HUNDRED  YEARS  OI.D. 

At  Hamburg,  Germany,  some  excavations  for  building  pur- 
poses, a  few  years  ago,  brought  to  light  a  buried  tannery  supposed  to 
be  400  years  old,  containing  several  pits,  in  which  there  were  a 
large  number  of  hides  that  have  been  there,  it  is  estimated,  150 
years.  Among  others  there  were  found  in  one  pit  eighty-nine  ox 
hides  or  sides  which  had  been  slaughtered  in  the  town.  The 
greater  portion  of  these  hides  was  bought  by  a  Berlin  firm  and  the 
remainder  are  to  be  completely  tanned,  as  they  were  only  partially 
finished.  It  is  hoped  that  a  well- tanned  leather  of  a  suitable  color 
will  be  obtained.  The  hides  are  tolerably  well  preser\'ed,  notwith- 
standing the  long  time  they  have  been  in  the  pits,  which,  it  ap- 
pears, lacked  tanning  matter.  They  are,  however,  still  quite  moist 
and  healthy  and  have  a  brown  color. 


22S  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


FROZEN   IvEATHER. 

It  is  well  known  to  tanners  that  leather  in  the  drying  loft  when 
exposed  to  cold  will  perceptibly  lose  in  quality  and  weight.  The 
cause  has  never  been  fully  explained.  Mr.  V.  Eitner,  a  Vienna 
scientist,  has  investigated  the  matter  and  the  following  is  a  very 
plausible  theory  which  he  propounds:  "The  water,"  he  says, 
which  fills  the  pores  and  cells  of  the  hides  is  transferred  by  frost 
into  innumerable  little  crystals.  These  crystals  will  distend  the 
cells  and  even  tear  many  of  them  with  their  sharp  edges,  thereby 
reducing  or  destroying  their  faculty  of  retaining  particles  of  water 
by  capillary  attraction.  In  consequence,  when  in  warmer  tem- 
perature, the  icy  crystals  dissolve.  The  water,  which  otherwise 
would  have  remained  in  the  tissues,  flows  freely  out  of  the  widened 
and  broken  cells,  and  not  only  the  water,  but  along  with  it  a  good 
deal  of  tannin  and  other  solid  substances.  This  accounts  for  the 
loss  of  weight  and  consistency  in  leather  on  the  same  principle  that 
holds  good  as  to  frozen  fruit.  When,  for  instance,  a  frozen  apple  is 
thawed  up,  the  water  oozing  out  from  its  pores  will  carry  along 
part  of  the  juice  and  thereby  impair  its  volume  and  its  flavor." 

The  writer,  when  serving  an  apprenticeship  many  years  ago  in 
the  New  England  states,  had  his  attention  frequently  called  to  the 
decided  change  in  the  plumpness  and  complexion  of  frozen  leather 
from  that  which  had  been  dried  out  without  coming  in  contact  with 
the  frost.  In  the  early  days  of  the  leather  manufacture,  tanneries 
were  not  equipped  with  all  the  more  modern  appliances  in  machin- 
ery or  facilities  for  drying  leather.  Many  of  the  yards  were  unpro- 
tected from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  or  the  rigor  of  the  sea- 
sons. Packs  of  leather  not  infrequently  during  the  winter  were 
frozen  in  the  pits.  When  the  leather  was  taken  out  to  prepare  it 
for  splitting  it  was  thrown  upon  fences  or  poles  in  the  open  air 
where  it  would  freeze  and  thaw  during  the  one  or  more  daj^sit  was 
thus  exposed  for  "  hardening  "it,  a  term  used  in  the  Eastern  states 
when  drying  out  a  required  percentage  of  the  water  before  the 
leather  could  be  satisfactorily  skived  and  split.  But  in  the  West 
the  word  "  sammied  "  is  used  in  place  of  hardening.  This  latter 
term  is  a  very  appropriate  one  when  leather  is  dried  at  a  higher 
temperature  or  during  the  summer  season,  but  the  term  "soft- 
ening ' '  would  more  aptly  apply  to  leather  thus  frozen  and  thawed. 

It  was  a  common  expression  then  among  the  old  tanners  that 
"One  good  freezing  was  equal  to  a  layer  of  bark."     But  I  hardly 


VALUABLE  INFORMATION. 


believe  that  many  of  them  then  realized  what  a  sacrifice  they 
were  making  in  order  to  kill  the  horn  or  untanned  gelatine  in 
the  hide  in  the  endeavor  to  force  the  leather  on  the  market  in 
a  shorter  time,  and  thus  obviate  the  necessity  of  giving  the  leather 
another  layer  of  bark,  particularly  when  tanning  for  inner  sole 
and  sole  leather  purposes.  Freezing  is  without  doubt  beneficial 
to  some  classes  of  skins  wherein  weight  and  close  texture  are 
not  of  much  consideration,  as  in  the  case  of  sheepskins,  skivers, 
linings  and  leather  made  from  hard,  tinny  hides  which  cannot 
be  brought  to  the  desired  suppleness  in  the  beam-house.  Yet 
it  is  a  sacrifice  of  the  gelatinous  tissue,  although  the  strength 
of  the  fiber  is  not  impaired,  but,  on  the  contrary,  leather  frozen 
and  thawed,  though  softer  and  of  a  more  delicate  complexion, 
has  a  greater  tenacity  of  fiber 


VALUABLE  RECIPES.  23t 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


VALUABI.E  RECIPES. 


GRAIN   LEATHER   DRESSING. 

Take  eight  ounces  of  extract  of  logwood,  one  once  of  bi-carbon- 
ate  of  potassia,  two  ounces  of  prussiate  of  potassia.  Dissolve  log- 
wood and  potassia  in  eight  quarts  of  soft  water — condensed  steam 
preferred.  Boil  until  thoroughly  dissolved,  and  when  cool,  strain 
off.  To  every  gallon  of  the  mixture,  add  one-half  gallon  of  beef 
blood,  or  increase  the  blood  according  to  the  brightness  of  finish 
required. 

IMITATION  GOAT  AND  GLOVE  BLACK. 

Take  seven  pounds  of  copperas,  three  pounds  of  gambler,  one 
ounce  of  powdered  nut-galls.  Dissolve  in  two  gallons  of  hot  soft 
water.  Add  forty  gallons  of  soft  water ;  stir,  and  it  is  ready  for 
immediate  use,  and  at  a  cost  that  will  not  exceed  one  cent  per  gal- 
lon. 

BOOT   GRAIN   AND    HARNESS    BLACK. 

Take  nine  pounds  of  copperas,  one-fourth  pound  of  epsom  salts, 
six  ounces  of  ascetic  acid,  and  one  ounce  of  powdered  nut-galls. 
Dissolve  in  two  gallons  of  hot  soft  water ;  then  add  forty  gallons 
of  soft  water.  It  is  equal  to  the  best  cider  vinegar  black,  and  at  a 
cost  of  about  one  cent  per  gallon. 

SCAR   PASTE. 

Take  six  ounces  of  granulated  gelatine  and  dissolve  in  one 
quart  of  cold  soft  water ;  four  ounces  of  extract  of  logwood,  one- 
half  ounce  of  bichromate  of  potassia,  one-fourth  ounce  of  carbonate 
of  potassia,  and  one-eighth  ounce  of  sulphate  of  copper.  Dissolve 
logwood,  potassia  and  copper  in  two  quarts  of  hot  water  ;  then  mix 
with  the  gelatine  and  stir  until  it  begins  to  congeal.  Apply  with 
sponge  to  grain  imperfections  after  the  leather  is  blacked. 

BOOT  TOP   LIQUID. 

Oxalic  acid,  one  ounce ;  white  vitriol,  one  ounce ;  water,  thirty 
ounces.  Dissolve  and  apply  with  a  sponge  to  the  leather,  which 
should  have  been  previously  washed  with  water.  Then  wash  the 
composition  off  with  water,  and  dry.     This  liquid  is  poisonous. 


233  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

BLACK   VARNISH. 

To  make  a  good  black  varnish  for  iron  or  other  metals,  dissolve 
by  heat,  three  ounces  of  asphaltum,  four  quartsofboiled  linseed  oil, 
and  eight  ounces  of  burnt  umber.  Mix  the  compound  with  turpentine 
while  cooling.  This  will  be  a  valuable  varnish  on  all  iron  work 
and  on  tools  in  and  around  a  tannery. 

TO   PREVENT   DEPOSITS   OF  LIME   IN   BOILERS. 

Throw  into  the  heater,  or  reservoir  from  which  the  boiler  is  fed, 
a  quantity  of  crude  hemlock,  or  oak  bark  in  the  original  sheets, 
sufficient  to  turn  the  water  to  a  brown  color.  If  you  have  no  tank, 
put  into  the  boiler  through  the  man-hole,  several  sheets,  after  blow- 
ing off,  and  continue  every  month,  using  only  half  the  quantity 
after  the  first  time. 

Sal-soda  is  also  a  very  effective  agent  for  removing  the  scale  in 
boilers.  Put  within  the  heater,  or  boiler,  about  ten  pounds  for  an 
ordinary  boiler,  a  few  hours  before  blowing  off.  The  inside  shell 
will  then  have,  when  clean,  the  appearance  of  porcelain. 

INK    FOR    MARKING   PACKAGES. 

Shellac,  two  ounces  ;  borax,  two  ounces ;  water,  twenty-five 
ounces ;  gum-arabic,  two  ounces  ;  Venetian  red,  or  lamp-black  suf- 
ficient to  color.  Boil  the  borax  and  shellac  in  the  water  until  they 
are  dissolved,  then  add  the  gum-arabic  and  withdraw  the  mixture 
from  the  fire.  When  the  solution  has  become  cold,  complete  the 
twenty-five  ounces  by  adding  water  and  enough  Venetian  red  to 
bring  it  to  a  suitable  consistency  and  color.  This  ink  must  be  pre- 
served in  a  glass  or  earthenware  vessel. 

LIQUID   SHOE   BLACKING. 

Ivory  black,  one  pound ;  loaf  sugar,  four  ounces ;  whites  of  six 
eggs  ;  beer  of  sufficient  quantity  for  diluting.  Mix  the  whole  well 
and  let  them  simmer  half  an  hour ;  then  bottle  for  use. 

curriers'  SOFT  SOAP, 

For  wax  upper  leather  and  calfskin  :  Take  sixty  pounds  of  pot- 
ash and  dissolve  it  in  an  iron  kettle,  by  steam.  When  fully  dis- 
solved, draw  off  into  a  pine  butt,  or  hogshead ;  add  eighty-five 
pounds  of  best  tallow ;  apply  steam  and  cook  for  ten  to  twelve 
hours,  adding  soft  water  at  intervals  until  the  mixture  is  of  the  de- 
sired consistency.  The  above  ingredients  will  make  from  eighty- 
five  to  ninety  gallons  of  soft  soap. 


VALUABLE  RECIPES.  233 


HARNESS   BLACKING. 

Beeswax,  three  ounces ;  ivory  black,  four  ounces ;  neatsfoot  oil, 
one  pint ;  castile  soap,  two  ounces  ;  lard,  two  ounces  ;  aloes,  one 
ounce.     Boil  together  and  put  into  a  basin  and  cool. 

INDIA   RUBBER    LIQUID    BLACKING. 

Ivory  black,  six  pounds ;  treacle,  four  pounds  ;  gum-arabic,  dis- 
solved in  hot  water,  two  ounces ;  vinegar,  two  gallons  ;  sulphuric 
acid,  two  and  one-half  pounds ;  India-rubber,  dissolved  in  about 
one  pint  of  oil,  two  ounces.  Mix  well  together.  This  blacking 
may  be  applied  by  means  of  a  brush,  or  a  small  sponge  attached 
to  a  piece  of  twisted  wire. 
CEMENT  FOR  LEATHER  OR  RUBBER  SOLES  AND  LEATHER  BELTING, 

Gutta-percha,  one  pound ;  India  rubber,  four  ounces  ;  pitch,  two 
ounces  ;  shellac,  one  ounce  ;  linseed  oil,  two  ounces.  Melt  and 
use  hot. 

INDIA  RUBBER   WATER-PROOF   COMPOSITION    FOR    BOOTS   AND 

SHOES. 

Spermaceti,  four  ounces ;  India  rubber  solution,  one  ounce.  Melt 
with  a  gentle  heat,  and  then  add  tallow  or  lard,  ten  ounces  ;  copal 
varnish,  five  ounces.  Mix  well  and  apply  the  composition  to  the 
leather  with  a  paint  brush. 

TO   CLEAN   BUFF   COLORED   LEATHER. 

Oxalic  acid,  one  ounce.  Dissolve  in  one  pint  of  water,  and 
wash  well ;  then  rub  in  a  little  clean  tallow. 

FOR   SOFTENING   LEATHER. 

Mix  boiled  linseed  oil,  one  pint ;  beeswax,  two  ounces ;  Bur- 
gundy pitch,  one  ounce  ;  turpentine,  two  ounces.  Melt  all  the 
ingredients  together,  over  a  slow  fire.  The  mixture  should  be  well 
rubbed  into  the  leather  on  both  sides,  but  principally  on  the  flesh 
side. 

VARNISH   FOR   BOOTS   AND  SHOES. 

lyinseed  oil,  one  pint ;  mutton  suet,  one-half  pound  ;  beeswax, 
one-half  pound  ;  small  piece  of  rosin.    Boil  all  these  in  an  earthen- 
ware vessel,   together,   and  use  it  when  luke-warm,  with  a  hair 
brush.     Two  applications  will  make  the  articles  water-proof. 
FOR   CALF-KID   AND  PATENT   LEATHER. 

If  calf-kid  begins  to  look  reddish  and  rusty,  give  it  a  slight 
application  of  oil,  which  will  partially  restore  the  color;  if  not,  put 


234  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

on  blacking,  and  when  dry  brush  oJBf  and  go  over  again,  with  a 
a  light  dressing  of  oil,  when  it  will  be  as  good  as  new.  Patent 
leather  will  not  only  be  made  softer  by  this  treatment,  but  the 
lustre  will  be  improved  by  oiling. 

CLEANING  MOROCCO  LEATHER. 

Set  the  skins  well  over  a  table,  and  scour  them  with  a  stiff* 
brush,  using  tepid  water  and  soft  soap,  made  slightly  acid  as  fol- 
lows :  Get  a  penny-worth  of  oxalic  acid,  and  only  use  a  fourth — 
which  should  be  dissolved  in  two  quarts  of  water  ;  if  any  stronger 
it  might  take  the  color  out.  When  done,  take  the  skins  from  the 
table  and  dry  them  in  a  cool  place ;  do  not  fully  saturate  the  skins, 
and  have  the  table  on  an  incline.  When  dry,  rub  a  little  oil  over 
the  surface  with  a  rag.  If  not  particular  about  the  color  the  fol- 
lowing simple  recipe  will  answer  the  purpose  :  Take  the  yolk  of 
two  eggs,  and  the  white  of  one,  also  one  tablespoonful  of  gin  and 
sugar ;  then  add  a  little  ivory  black.  This  will  produce  a  fine 
black.     Use  as  ordinary  blacking. 

TAWING   SKINS. 

Take  nine  gallons  of  water,  nine  ounces  of  alum,  five  ounces 
of  saltpetre,  and  three  and  one-half  ounces  of  chloride  of  sodium 
or  common  salt,  subsequently  pouring  in  nine  ounces  of  carbolic 
acid,  and  thoroughly  stirring  the  whole.  Place  in  this  mixture 
the  skin  to  be  dressed,  as  open  as  possible,  and  leave  it  in  thirty- 
six  hours,  turning  it  about  occasionally.  When  taken  out  the 
skin  should  be  stretched  on  a  board,  and  then  allowed  to  dry  in 
the  sun  or  in  a  warm  place.  When  dried,  thoroughly  rub  it  with 
pumice  stone  on  the  flesh. 

To   PREPARE  SHEEPSKINS   FOR   MATS. 

Make  a  strong  lather  with  soap  and  hot  water,  and  let  it  stand 
until  cold  ;  wash  the  fresh  skin  in  it,  carefully  squeezing  out  all 
the  oil  and  dirt  from  the  wool ;  wash  in  cold  water  until  all  the 
soap  is  taken  out.  Dissolve  a  pound  each  of  salt  and  alum  in  two 
gallons  of  hot  water,  and  then  put  the  skin  into  a  tub  sufficiently 
large  to  cover  it.  L,et  it  soak  for  twelve  hours  and  hang  it  over  a 
pole  to  drain.  When  well  drained,  stretch  it  carefully  over  a  board 
frame  to  dry,  and  repeat  the  stretching  several  times  while  drying. 
Before  it  is  quite  dry,  sprinkle  on  the  flesh  side  one  ounce  of  alum 
and  one  of  saltpetre,  rubbing  them  well  into  the  flesh.  Try  the 
wool  to  see  if  it  be  firm  on  the  skin  ;  if  it  be  not,  let  the  mixture 
remain  a  day  or  two,  and  then  rub  again  with  alum  ;  fold  the  flesh 


VALUABLE  RECIPES.  •  235 

side  together  and  hang  in  the  shade  for  two  or  three  days,  turning 
them  over  each  day  until  quite  dry.  Scrape  the  flesh  side  with  a 
blunt-edged  knife,  then  rub  with  pumice  or  rotten  stone.  Fur 
skins  are  tanned  by  first  removing  all  of  the  useless  parts,  and 
softening  the  skin  by  soaking  in  cold  water,  then  remove  the  fatty 
matter  from  the  flesh  and  soak  in  warm  water  for  half  an  hour. 
Next  mix  equal  parts  of  borax,  saltpetre  and  sulphate  of  soda  in 
the  proportion  of  about  one-half  ounce  each  for  each  skin,  with 
sufficient  water  to  make  a  thin  paste  ;  spread  this  with  a  brush 
over  each  skin,  applying  more  to  the  thicker  parts  than  to  the  thin- 
ner ;  double  the  skin  together,  flesh  side  inwards,  and  place  in  a 
cool  place.  After  remaining  for  twenty-four  hours  wash  the  skin 
clean,  and  apply  in  the  same  manner  as  before  a  mixture  of  one 
ounce  of  sal-soda,  one-half  ounce  of  borax,  and  two  ounces  of  hard 
white  soap,  melted  slowly  together  without  being  allowed  to  boil ; 
fold  together  and  put  in  a  warm  place  for  twenty-four  hours.  After 
this,  dissolve  four  ounces  of  alum,  eight  ounces  of  salt,  and  two 
ounces  of  salaratus,  in  sufficient  hot  rain  water  to  saturate  the 
skin ;  when  cool  enough  not  to  scald  the  hands,  soak  the  skin  in  it 
for  twelve  hours  ;  then  wring  out  and  hang  up  to  dry.  When  dry 
repeat  the  soaking  and  drying  two  or  three  times,  till  the  skin  is 
sufficiently  soft.  Lastly,  smooth  the  flesh  side  with  sand-paper  or 
pumice  stone. 

VARNISH    FOR   TOOLS, 

Tallow,  two  ounces ;  rosm,  one  ounce,  and  melt  together. 
Strain  while  hot  to  get  rid  of  specks,  which  are  found  in  rosin. 
Apply  a  slight  coat  to  your  tools  with  a  brush,  and  it  will  keep  off 
rust  for  any  length  of  time. 

TO   dye;  leather  blue,  red  or  purple. 
For  red,  steep  the  skins  in  alum  water ;  then  pass  them  through 
a  warm  decoction  of  Brazil  wood.     Blue,  steep  them  in  an  indigo 
vat.     Purple,  steep  the  skins  in  alum  then  put  them  into  a  warm 
decoction  of  logwood. 

To   TAN   A   HIDE    WITH   THE   HAIR    ON. 

When  taken  from  the  animal,  soak  in  cold  water  to  remove  the 
blood  and  dirt ;  then  spread  it,  flesh  up,  and  put  upon  it  two  parts 
of  salt,  two  parts  of  saltpetre  and  alum  combined  ;  make  it  fine 
and  sprinkle  it  evenly  over  the  surface  :  roll  it  up  and  let  it  remain 
in  a  cool  place  for  a  few  days  until  the  ingredients  are  dissolved. 
Then  take  off  the  flesh  and  nail  the  hide  to  the  side  of  an  out- 


236  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 

building  in  the  sun  ;  stretch  it  tight,  to  make  it  soft  like  harness 
leather ;  apply  neats-foot  oil  and  again  fasten  it  up  in  the  sun ; 
then  rub  out  all  the  oil  you  can  with  a  wedge-shaped  stick  or  moon 
knife,  and  you  will  have  a  fairly  pliable  piece  of  leather  with  the 
hair  on. 

OIL  ADULTERATIONS. 
Adulteration  of  animal  oil,  or  mineral  oil,  may  be  detected  by 
adding  concentrated  sulphuric  acid,  when  the  animal  oil  will  be 
charred,  forming  black  rings  in  the  sample.  Vegetable  or  animal 
oils  can  also  be  detected  by  adding  an  alkali  to  the  sample,  thus 
causing  those  to  saponify,  as  mineral  oils  have  not  the  property  of 
saponification  readily.  Oils  are  frequently  adulterated  with  cotton- 
seed oil,  which  is  prone  to  ignite  waste  spontaneously. 

TO    GLUE   LEATHER  TO   IRON. 

There  is  a  constant  inquiry  as  to  the  best  plan  for  fastening 
leather  to  iron,  and  there  are  many  recipes  for  doing  it.  But  prob- 
ably the  simplest  mode,  and  one  that  will  answer  in  a  majority  of 
cases,  is  the  following  :  Paint  the  iron  with  some  kind  of  lead 
color,  say  white  lead  and  lamp-black.  When  dry,  cover  with  a 
cement  made  as  follows :  Take  the  best  glue,  soak  it  in  cold  water 
till  soft ;  then  dissolve  it  in  vinegar  with  a  moderate  heat ;  then 
add  one-third  of  the  bulk  of  white  pine  turpentine,  thoroughly 
mix,  and  by  means  of  the  vinegar  make  it  of  the  proper  consist- 
ency to  be  spread  with  a  brush,  and  apply  it  while  hot ;  draw  the 
leather  on  quickly  and  press  it  tightly  in  place.  If  a  pulley,  draw 
the  leather  around  tightly,  lap  and  clamp. 

GLYCERINE  LEATHER  POLISH. 

Mix  most  thoroughly  together  three  or  four  pounds  of  lamp- 
black and  one-half  pound  of  burned  bones,  with  five  pounds  of 
glycerine  and  five  pounds  of  syrup.  Then  gently  warm  two  and 
three-fourths  ounces  of  gutta-percha  in  an  iron  or  copper  kettle  un- 
til it  flows  easily  ;  then  add  ten  ounces  of  olive  oil,  and  when  com- 
pletely dissolved,  one  ounce  of  stearine.  This  solution,  while  still 
warm,  is  poured  into  the  former  and  well  mixed.  Then  add  five 
ounces  of  gum  Senegal,  dissolved  in  one  and  one-half  pounds  of 
soft  water,  one-half  ounce  of  lavender  or  other  oil  to  flavor  it.  For 
use,  it  is  diluted  with  three  or  four  parts  of  water.  It  will  give  a 
fine  polish,  is  free  from  acid,  and  the  glycerine  keeps  the  leather 
soft  and  pliable. 


VALUABLE   RECIPES.  237 


WATER-PROOF   COMPOSITION   FOR   LEATHER. 
Linseed   oil,    one   pint ;    suet,    one-half  pound ;    beeswax,    six 
ounces  ;  resin,  one  ounce  ;    turpentine,  one-fourth  pint.     Melt  the 
wax,  suet  and  resin,  and  then  add  the  oil  and  turpentine. 

TO  RENDER  GLUE  INSOLUBLE. 

In  order  to  render  glue  insoluble  in  water,  even  hot  water,  it  is 
only  necessary,  when  dissolving  glue  for  use,  to  add  a  little  potas- 
sium bichromate  to  the  water,  and  expose  the  glued  part  to  the  light. 
The  proportion  of  bichromate  will  vary  with  circumstances  ;  but  for 
most  purposes,  about  one-fiftieth  of  the  amount  of  glue  will  suf- 
fice. 

BLACK  LACQUER  FOR  SHOES  AND  LEATHER. 

Mix  four  ounces  of  shellac  and  one-half  ounce  of  the  finest 
lamp-black  in  a  strong  bottle  with  one  and  one-fourth  pints  of 
strong  alcohol.  Close  the  mouth  of  the  bottle  with  a  damp  bladder. 
Let  it  remain  for  twenty-four  hours,  shaking  it  occasionally  during 
that  time.  Then  pierce  a  hole  in  the  bladder  with  a  needle,  place 
the  bottle  in  hot  water  and  let  it  stand  for  half  an  hour,  taking  it 
out  often  and  shaking  it.  Unfasten  the  bladder,  pour  one  ounce  of 
Venetian  turpentine  into  the  bottle,  close  up  the  mouth  again  and 
place  it  once  more  in  hot  water.  The  bottle  should  be  always 
corked,  and  it  requires  to  be  shaken  before  using  the  contents. 

LEATHER   BELTS. 

All  leather  belts  should  be  run  with  the  grain  side  next  to  the 
pulley,  which  will  transmit  thirty  per  cent  more  power  than  will 
the  same  belt  with  the  flesh  side  to  the  pulley.  Care  should  also  be 
taken  that  the  belts  are  kept  soft  and  pliable.  When  the  belt  is  pli- 
able and  only  dry  and  husky,  blood-warm  tallow  should  be  ap- 
plied. This  applied  and  dried  in  by  heat  of  the  fire  or  sun  will 
tend  to  keep  the  leather  in  good  condition.  The  oil  of  the  tallow 
passes  into  the  pores  and  fibers  of  the  leather,  serving  to  soften  it, 
while  the  stearine  is  left  on  the  outside  to  close  the  pores  and  leave 
a  smooth  surface.  The  addition  of  resin  to  the  tallow  for  belts 
used  in  wet,  damp  places  will  be  of  service  and  help  to  presence 
their  strength.  Belts  which  have  become  hard  and  dry  should  have 
an  application  of  neats-foot  or  cod  liver  oil  mixed  with  a  small 
quantity  of  resin.  This  prevents  the  oil  from  injuring  the  belt  and 
helps  to  preserve  it.  There  should  not  be  so  much  resin  as  to  leave 
the  belt  sticky. 


/ 


238  LEATHER  MANUFACTURE. 


WATER-PROOF  OIIv  BLACKING. 

Camphene,  one  pint.  Add  all  the  India  rubber  it  will  dissolve. 
Currier's  oil,  one  pint ;  tallow,  seven  pounds  ;  lamp-black,  two 
ounces.     Mix  thoroughly  by  heat. 

LEATHER   CEMENTS. 

The  following  recipes  are  given  as  the  result  of  many  years' 
experience  :  (i.)  Common  glue  and  isinglass,  equal  parts,  soaked 
for  ten  hours  in  just  water  enough  to  cover  them.  Bring  gradu- 
ally to  a  boiling  heat  and  add  pure  tannin  until  the  whole  becomes 
ropy  or  appears  like  the  white  of  an  egg.  Buff  off  the  surfaces  to 
be  joined,  apply  the  cement  warm  and  clamp  firmly.  (2.)  Mix 
ten  parts  of  bisulphide  of  carbon  with  one  of  oil  and  turpentine, 
and  then  add  enough  of  gutta-percha  to  make  a  tough,  thickly 
flowing  fluid.  One  essential  pre-requisite  to  it,  through  union  of 
the  parts,  consists  of  freedom  of  the  surfaces  to  be  joined  from 
grease.  This  may  be  attained  by  using  bicarbonate  of  soda,  am- 
monia or  borax  and  by  laying  a  cloth  upon  them  and  applying  a 
hot  iron  for  a  time.  The  cement  is  then  applied  to  both  pieces, 
the  surfaces  brought  into  contact  and  pressure  applied  until  the 
joint  is  dry.  (3.)  Another  leather  cement  is  made  of  gutta-per- 
cha dissolved  in  bisulphide  of  carbon,  the  mixture  being  about  the 
thickness  of  syrup.  The  parts  to  be  cemented  must  be  well  coated 
so  as  to  fill  the  pores  of  the  leather.  Then  heat  the  cement  and 
join  the  ends,  hammering  the  parts  until  the  cement  is  cold.  (4.) 
To  cement  leather  to  metal  with  hot  gelatine,  steep  the  leather  in 
an  infusion  of  nutgalls,  hot,  and  bring  the  two  together.  (5.)  One 
pound  of  gutta-percha,  four  ounces  of  India  rubber,  two  ounces  of 
pitch,  one  ounce  of  shellac,  two  ounces  of  linseed  oil,  melted  to- 
gether. It  hardens  by  keeping  and  needs  remelting  for  use.  (6.) 
Leather  to  metal :  Melt  together  equal  parts  of  asphalt  and  gutta- 
percha and  apply  hot  under  a  press,  (7.)  Digest  one  part  of 
crushed  nutgalls  with  distilled  water  for  six  hours,  and  strain.  Ma- 
cerate glue  with  its  own  weight  of  water  for  twenty -four  hours  and 
dissolve.  Spread  the  warm  infusion  of  the  galls  on  the  leather  and 
the  glue  on  the  roughened  metallic  surface.  Apply  the  prepared 
surfaces  together  and  dry  gently.  The  leather  then  adheres  so 
firmly  to  the  metal  that  it  cannot  be  removed  without  tearing.  (8.) 
Ivcather  to  pasteboard  :  Strong  glue,  fifty  parts,  is  dissolved  with 
a  little  turpentine  in  a  sufiiciency  of  water  over  a  gentle  fire.     To 


vAlt'Ai^tfe:  i'liDQii'fib.  :  ■:.'"'  239 


the  mixture  is  added  a  thick  paste  made  with  100  parts  of  starch, 
it  is  applied  cold  and  rapidly. 

BOOT  AND  SHOE  SOLES   FINISH. 

The  following  finish  has  been  patented  in  Germany  :  Paris 
yellow,  750  grammes  ;  chrome  yellow,  750  grammes  ;  pipe  clay, 
1,250  grammes  ;  quercitren,  1,000  grammes  ;  alum,  1,000 grammes; 
sulphuric  acid,  750  grammes.  Mix  and  boil  with  sixteen  litres 
distilled  water,  and  one  litre  solution  of  gum  tragacanth.  For 
hemlock  sole  the  following  is  to  be  used  :  Spirits  of  wine,  satur- 
ated solution  hypochloride  of  soda,  hydrochloric  acid,  each  in 
equal  weights. 

TANNING    FURS. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year,  when  the  skins  from  fur-bearing  animals 
begin  to  appear  in  the  market,  the  question  of  tanning  with  the 
hair  on  is  an  important  one  in  many  localities.  When  the  skins 
are  purchased,  if  not  already  tanned,  the  legs  and  all  useless  parts 
should  be  removed  ;  soak  the  skins  until  soft,  and  then  remove 
all  superfluous  adhering  flesh,  then  soak  in  tepid  soft  water  one 
hour.  For  each  skin  make  a  solution  consisting  of  borax,  one-half 
ounce;  saltpetre,  three-fourths  ounce;  globular  salt,  one-half  ounce. 
Dissolve  or  moisten  with  soft  water  sufiicient  to  spread  on  the  flesh 
side  of  the  skin.  Put  on  with  a  brush,  taking  into  consideration 
the  different  thickness  and  apply  accordingly;  keep  in  a  moderately 
cool  place  for  twenty-four  hours,  when  the  skin  is  to  be  washed 
thoroughly  clean;  and  take,  sal-soda,  one  ounce;  borax,  one-half 
ounce  ;  hard  soap,  two  ounces.  Melt  together  slowly,  taking  care 
not  to  bring  to  a  boil,  and  apply  the  heated  mixture,  while  warm, 
to  the  flesh  side.  Heat  up  again,  and  keep  in  a  warm  place  for 
twenty-four  hours  longer.  Wash  clean  again  as  before,  and  apply 
salaratus,  two  ounces  ;  hot  soft  water,  three  quarts  ;  alum,  four 
ounces ;  salt,  eight  ounces.  Dissolve  in  the  water  the  other  in- 
.^redients;  when  sufficiently  cool  to  allow  the  handling  without 
ricaiding  the  bare  hand,  put  in  the  skm  and  allow  it  to  remain  for 
twelve  hours  ;  afterwards  wring  out  the  moisture  and  allow  twelve 
hours  longer  in  which  to  dry.  Finish  up  with  pulling  and  work- 
ing, and  finally  by  rubbing  with  a  piece  of  sand-paper  or  pumice 
stone.  The  above  has  Vi^en  found  the  best  of  all  formulas  for  tan- 
ning any  furs,  such  as  fox,  wolf,  bear,  coon,  and  all  skins  where 
the  fur  was  desired,  and  imparting  also  that  fine  gloss  peculiar  to 
fine  furs. 


240  LEATHEll "  M  A^MUFA'C^'TURE. 

FLOUR   PASTE. 

For  wax  upper,  kip,  calfskins  and  flesh  splits ;  For  every 
gallon  of  soft  water  used,  take  one  quart  of  best  flour — patent 
flour  preferred — and  one-fourth  pound  of  common  laundr>'  soap, 
and  one-half  pound  of  best  cake  tallow.  Patent  flour  sifters,  hold- 
ing just  one  quart,  will  be  found  convenient  for  this  work,  for,  by 
dropping  the  sifter  into  the  barrel  and  giving  to  it  a  rotary  motion, 
the  flour  is  readily  sifted  and  measured.  Put  the  quantity  of  flour 
required  in  a  pail  and  mix  with  soft  water,  being  careful  not  to  get 
in  too  much  water  until  after  the  flour  has  been  well  kneaded,  by 
hand  or  by  a  stick.  Then  reduce  the  batter  by  uniting  with  it  the 
required  amount  of  water.  Cut  the  soap  and  tallow  into  thin 
pieces  and  put  them  into  the  flour.  For  cooking  it  a  small  jacket 
steam  kettle  is  preferred,  but  if  not  at  hand  blow  direct  steam  into 
the  pail  or  keg  ;  but  in  the  latter,  allowance  must  be  made  during 
the  cooking  of  twenty  minutes  time,  as  during  that  period  there 
will  be  nearly  one  quart  of  condensed  steam  added.  Cook  slowly 
until  the  flour,  soap  and  tallow  are  thoroughly  united,  and  the 
paste  assumes  the  consistency  of  a  thick  jelly. 

GUM    TRAGACANTH. 

This  is  the  last  ingredient  used  in  the  final  finish  for  wax  upper, 
kips,  calfskins  and  splits.  It  is  used  as  follows  :  For  a  ten  gallon 
crock  take  one  pound  of  the  gum,  and  fill  the  crock  with  soft  water 
and  stir  it  occasionally,  because  when  it  commences  to  dissolve  it 
will  pack  in  solid  lumps.  The  older  it  is  the  better.  It  will  fer- 
ment in  the  early  stages,  then  commence  to  ripen  up  and  be  in 
condition  for  use.  Several  crocks  should  be  kept  in  constant  use 
for  soaking  the  gum,  and  where  large  quantities  are  used,  half- 
barrels  may  be  substituted.  When  gumming  the  leather,  it  is  pre- 
pared as  follows  :  Take  about  seventy  per  cent  of  the  dissolved 
gum  tragacanth,  and  thirty  per  cent  of  flour  paste,  as  used  in 
pasting.  Mix  and  strain  through  coarse  toweling,  then  reduce  to 
the  consistency  of  cream,  and  apply  with  a  soft  lambs- wool  sponge. 


Date  Due 

i 

GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


3  3125  00799  1165 


